Profit thanks to Obamamania
Obama is president, America is Barack. Everyone loves the young black man who is ushering in a new age of hope in the USA. Companies and their advertisers also want to benefit from the now-it's-all-better feeling.
Advertising and marketing have an easier time when the mood in the country is good. Because those who are confident are happy to spend money. That's what market researchers say. In America, the level of hope could not be higher after the inauguration of the first black president, Barack Obama. After the Bush slump, people are finally ready to trust their government again and invest in their country. Perfect for anyone who wants to sell something. Pepsi, for example.
Cheerfulness as an attitude to life
In the service of sales, the beverage company and its advertising agency TBWA Chiat Day from Los Angeles are banking fully on the Obama hype. Pepsi's new TV commercial and the accompanying poster campaign are riding the wave of positive sentiment that is currently sweeping America. Since Obama's inauguration, the fizzy drinks producer has been advertising on TV and on large-format posters with messages (like) from the president's mouth: "Hooray", "Change", "Hope" and "Yes you can". The creative team replaced individual vowels of the words with the Pepsi logo. Confidence and cheerfulness as an attitude to life - and Pepsi is right in the middle of it.
The logo also has a new smiling look: the broad white line that previously separated the red from the blue area is no longer S-shaped, but has a banana shape reminiscent of a smiling mouth. Overinterpreted? Not at all. The agency itself describes the new Pepsi icon as a "smiling logo". It is also remarkable how similar it is to the O logo from Obama's election campaign. Pepsi's claim is also new: "Every generation refreshes the world" is now the beverage manufacturer's hopeful slogan. On its website, Pepsi also presents the hopeful with great advance confidence: "Refresh America!", the company calls out to the president. "You can", you almost want to add in the maelstrom of euphoria.
Dear Mr. President
But that's not all of the advertising coup: Pepsi's Refresh campaign is coupled with a campaign on YouTube, which is promoted via the Pepsi website. "What would you want to say to the man who is about to refresh America?" asks the drinks manufacturer. As in an open letter, anyone who likes can answer this question and give Obama their hopes, wishes and fears - in the form of a video they have made themselves that can be uploaded to YouTube. According to Pepsi's message, the private films are intended to help the new president "refresh" America. A very American version of participation. And it is well received: More than 100 videos are already on the website. Let's get to work, Mr. President! Hopefully you won't be watching videos all the time instead of solving problems.
It will also be interesting to see whether the Oba¬ma euphoria campaign also boosts consumption of the soft drink. Pepsi's image has already benefited from the clever link with the nation's most popular figure and the spirit of optimism he spreads. And TBWA Chiat Day didn't even have to shoot an expensive commercial for this. A few words on a colorful background are enough - it just has to be the right words in the right place at the right time.
Well done!
Other companies in the USA are also using Obamamania to their advantage: Ikea is advertising with the slogan "Change Begins at Home", Dunkin' Donuts is launching a red, white and blue speckled stars-and-stripes donut and Ben & Jerry's a flavored ice cream called "Yes Pecan". Bon appétit! The German youth magazine Bravo has also been infected by the presidential hype: On January 14, the popular poster in the middle section of the magazine featured a likeness of Mr. Future himself, Barack Obama. Never before in the past 52 years has a politician made it to the poster position. But now. Bravo editor-in-chief Tom Junkersdorf explains the exceptional case: "With Barack Obama, the world has a new mega-star, no one currently has more fans." True. Hopefully Mr. President also feels at home among the movie stars and singing stars on the nursery wallpaper. But why not?
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
Cheerfulness as an attitude to life
In the service of sales, the beverage company and its advertising agency TBWA Chiat Day from Los Angeles are banking fully on the Obama hype. Pepsi's new TV commercial and the accompanying poster campaign are riding the wave of positive sentiment that is currently sweeping America. Since Obama's inauguration, the fizzy drinks producer has been advertising on TV and on large-format posters with messages (like) from the president's mouth: "Hooray", "Change", "Hope" and "Yes you can". The creative team replaced individual vowels of the words with the Pepsi logo. Confidence and cheerfulness as an attitude to life - and Pepsi is right in the middle of it.
The logo also has a new smiling look: the broad white line that previously separated the red from the blue area is no longer S-shaped, but has a banana shape reminiscent of a smiling mouth. Overinterpreted? Not at all. The agency itself describes the new Pepsi icon as a "smiling logo". It is also remarkable how similar it is to the O logo from Obama's election campaign. Pepsi's claim is also new: "Every generation refreshes the world" is now the beverage manufacturer's hopeful slogan. On its website, Pepsi also presents the hopeful with great advance confidence: "Refresh America!", the company calls out to the president. "You can", you almost want to add in the maelstrom of euphoria.
Dear Mr. President
But that's not all of the advertising coup: Pepsi's Refresh campaign is coupled with a campaign on YouTube, which is promoted via the Pepsi website. "What would you want to say to the man who is about to refresh America?" asks the drinks manufacturer. As in an open letter, anyone who likes can answer this question and give Obama their hopes, wishes and fears - in the form of a video they have made themselves that can be uploaded to YouTube. According to Pepsi's message, the private films are intended to help the new president "refresh" America. A very American version of participation. And it is well received: More than 100 videos are already on the website. Let's get to work, Mr. President! Hopefully you won't be watching videos all the time instead of solving problems.
It will also be interesting to see whether the Oba¬ma euphoria campaign also boosts consumption of the soft drink. Pepsi's image has already benefited from the clever link with the nation's most popular figure and the spirit of optimism he spreads. And TBWA Chiat Day didn't even have to shoot an expensive commercial for this. A few words on a colorful background are enough - it just has to be the right words in the right place at the right time.
Well done!
Other companies in the USA are also using Obamamania to their advantage: Ikea is advertising with the slogan "Change Begins at Home", Dunkin' Donuts is launching a red, white and blue speckled stars-and-stripes donut and Ben & Jerry's a flavored ice cream called "Yes Pecan". Bon appétit! The German youth magazine Bravo has also been infected by the presidential hype: On January 14, the popular poster in the middle section of the magazine featured a likeness of Mr. Future himself, Barack Obama. Never before in the past 52 years has a politician made it to the poster position. But now. Bravo editor-in-chief Tom Junkersdorf explains the exceptional case: "With Barack Obama, the world has a new mega-star, no one currently has more fans." True. Hopefully Mr. President also feels at home among the movie stars and singing stars on the nursery wallpaper. But why not?
Anne-Friederike Wilhelm
Obama's campaign icon and the new Pepsi logo could be fraternal twins. Pepsi is also celebrating the Obama euphoria with its optimistic Refresh campaign and Dear Mr. President videos.
