Close to 20 years ago, Pepsi had released an event ad titled “Roman Empire,” which featured major pop stars in music, including Beyonce, Pink, Britney Spears and Enrique Iglesias as the Emperor overseeing the female singers pump up the colosseum with a new rendition of Queen’s famous “We Will Rock You.” The soft drink marketing juggernaut is back with a new ad for the 2024 NFL season. This time, the commercial is inspired by and a promotional tie-in for the upcoming Ridley Scott epic Gladiator II.
This new campaign is titled “Make Your Gameday Epic,” and it features two football fans talking about their fantasy football teams in a bar as the Pepsi they ordered transports them to a colosseum where a gladiatorial match is about to begin. The soundtrack starts pumping to the tune of “We Will Rock You” once again as NFL players Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce (who’s attempting to crossover into acting) enter the battleground in full Roman gladiator gear. Megan Thee Stallion plays the Empress this time around and she sings the rendition in this version.
Per Deadline, this ad’s director, Jake Scott, stated, “Bringing the epic world of Gladiator II to life in a modern, dynamic way through this Pepsi campaign was incredibly exciting. We wanted to create a visual spectacle that captured the energy and intensity of the sport while also paying homage to the iconic film and the original Pepsi campaign. The collaboration with Pepsi and the incredible talent involved made this project truly unforgettable.”
Marc Weinstock, Paramount Pictures’ President of Worldwide Marketing & Distribution, would also state, “What started as a theatrical brand partnership evolved into one of the biggest promotional programs in our company’s history—spanning across theatrical marketing, CBS Sports and the Paramount Global networks. A film of this scope calls for a truly epic campaign, and we can think of no more fitting collaboration on than with one of the most iconic brands in the world.”
Jenny Danzi, Head of Brand Marketing for Pepsi, added, “This gladiator-inspired campaign is a continuation of our brand’s long history of being on the forefront of culture, collaborating with iconic artists and celebrating football. Consumers are going to see the scale of this campaign everywhere they shop, making sure everyone is getting ready for gameday this fall with football, food, and ice-cold Pepsi. This seismic campaign captures the essence of the excitement and anticipation fans have for gameday and delivers the kind of entertainment our audience has come to expect from us!”