Pepsi’s latest ad is an epic production. Megan Thee Stallion (Empress megan) raps a new version of Queen’s legendary hit, We Will Rock You, while NFL stars, Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce battle in a colosseum. The 3-minute video, Make Your Gameday Epic, connects Pepsi to both the start of the 2024 NFL season and the upcoming release of Gladiator 11, Paramount Pictures’ sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 film, also directed and co-produced by Ridley Scott.
Make Your Gameday Epic is produced by Ridley Scott Associates, Paramount Brand Studio, and directed by Jake Scott in collaboration with Paramount Pictures.
It’s not Pepsi’s first Gladiator colossal. The original featured Britney Spears, Pink and Beyoncé in 2004 (and never aired in the US).
The new epic adventure in advertising and filmmaking nods obliquely to a meme about how often men think about the Roman Empire that took off on TikTok last year and while plunging present pop and sports stars into a classic ancient audience pastime, it also features screen stars, Lamorne Morris from New Girl and Jake Lacy from The White Lotus…and for added drama, real tigers.
The new version of We Will Rock You is available now on all major music streaming platforms, ahead of Megan hosting the 2024 MTV VMAs on September 11, where the track and music-video inspired spot will show up throughout the show.
“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,” stated Jenny Danzi, head of brand marketing at Pepsi. “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.”
“Bringing the epic world of Gladiator II to life in a modern, dynamic way through this Pepsi campaign was incredibly exciting,” added Jake Scott. “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.”
“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,” noted Marc Weinstock, Paramount Pictures’ president of worldwide marketing & distribution. “A film of this scope calls for a truly epic campaign, and we can think of no more fitting collaboration than with one of the most iconic brands in the world.”
As well as the VMA Gladiator moment, the campaign will be supported with a My Roman Empire Portrait Generator Tool and a limited edition run of Talking Cans, with built-in augmented reality capabilities that bring the can characters to life via content captured on-set (available via a consumer sweepstakes in early November).
