Every year millions of Americans fill out March Madness brackets and very, very few get them right. So Pepsi chose to leverage the 2024 college hoops tournament by seeing whether AI could do a better job…..Allen Iverson that is.
This integrated, bracket led campaign both pokes fun at the lengths people go to in order to full out their brackets and also offers a genuine challenge with $100,000 up for grabs for fans who correctly pick who loses every game.
The Pepsi ‘Zero Right’ bracket challenge promotes Pepsi Zero Sugar and is run in a tie-up with sports book DraftKings: the marketing initiative was developed in-house by Pepsi Creative and PepsiCo Content Studio, alongside teams at Authentic Brands Group, Acceleration Community of Companies (ACC), and Genesco Sports Enterprises.
It offers a fresh take on the annual March Madness bracket phenomena: offering a ‘free shot at $100,000’ to those who succeed in picking ‘the most unlikely teams to advance in college basketball’s biggest tourney’ – with guidance from ‘AI’ (no, not that AI, but hoops legend Allan Iverson).
This digital-first campaign is spearheaded by a hero spot starring NBA legend and Pepsi endorser Allen Iverson which was posted on 14 March and titled ‘A.I. Can Do That?’ and backed by social support.
We’re back with the @draftkings Zero Right Bracket Challenge Presented by Pepsi Zero Sugar. Take a shot at winning $100K at https://t.co/8b0vHGXxH0 pic.twitter.com/SDYXTN80Oy
— Pepsi (@pepsi) March 14, 2024
Try getting zero right on your bracket for a shot to win $100,000 with the @draftkings Zero Right Bracket Challenge Presented by Pepsi Zero Sugar. Head to https://t.co/8b0vHGXxH0 pic.twitter.com/owqN95wsqE
— Pepsi (@pepsi) March 14, 2024
The creative aims to drive viewers online to sign up to the challenge at https://www.draftkings.co.uk/zerorightbracket
The 38-second spot opens with a pair of office workers talking about the tourney: the woman fills out her brackets, while her male colleague opens a can of Pepsi. As the former talks about how tough it is to pick teams, the latter suggests she use AI to help her decision making.
“AI can do that?” asks the women and then her officemate gets out his phone to show her how it works. But instead of the expected AIU chatbot type device, he asks Allan ‘The Answer’ Iverson. The former point guard pauses his video game to pick up a dart and throw it at a map. It lands in Florida – and tells them of his ‘pick’.
The spot closes with a call-to-action to take part in Pepsi’s ‘Zero Right Bracket Challenge’ on Draftkings.
Between 18 and 21 March, challenge participants can fill out their entire bracket (before the tournament even begins): selecting the teams they think will not advance into the next round. But the added twist is that the more points a player racks up, the less chance they have of winning: because in this game, the lowest score wins – thus ‘zero’ is perfection.
“A simple concept, one that is strategically grounded in the product (zero) and connects to a genuine consumer truth and is brought to life in a comic, culturally relevant way.”
Pepsi Chief marketing Officer Todd Kaplan
“During my college career, I learned how unpredictable and tough the tournament can be. That’s why I’m partnering with Pepsi Zero Sugar and DraftKings on this bracket challenge. I want everyone to embrace the challenge of getting zero right this season.”
Pepsi Athlete Ambassador Allan Iverson
Alongside the teams from Authentic Brands Group, Acceleration Community of Companies (ACC), and Genesco Sports Enterprises, the campaign was developed by an in-house team at Pepsi Creative and PepsiCo Content Studio which included Lane Borgida, Jammil Telfort, Jenny Danzi, Joshua Clark, Paul Brown, Michael Pretat, Mike Kirsch, Neil Goldberg, Steve Frechtman, Lou Arbetter, Caitlin Coburn Winsor, Emily Tobias, Emily Schwartz, Stephanie Burgess, Alison (LaFleur) Meade, Taylor Heath, Scott Peiser, Darcie Binder, Justin Toman, Adam Nurik, Nisha Bhagat, Colin Smeeton, Tara Bonanno, Rachael May and Lizzy Hlad.
Subverting the usual bracket advertising approach, this initiative basketball means that basketball fans who get everything wrong, are actually getting everything wright.
A straightforward concept communicated through a fine, fun hero creative execution.
What’s not to like?
The ‘Zero Right Bracket Challenge’ marks the second time the soda giant has rolled out this form of campaign leveraging March Madness and 2023’s iteration saw the soda giant team up with former NBA star Carlos Boozer.
While March Madness kind of belongs to everyone – well, all Americans anyway – this initiative is essentially an ambush campaign as, alongside presenting partner Capital One and AT&T, it is fierce rival Coca-Cola which is a third major official partner of the NCAA’s March Madness.
Check out Coke’s 2023 hero tournament activation spot.
Also, be on the lookout for further activation from the tournament’s other official sponsors Aflac, Buffalo Wild Wings, Buick, Great Clips, Nissan, Reese’s, Wendy’s and Wilson Sporting Goods. As well of course, of the hundreds of brands who have tie-ups with competing colleges.