Nearly 20 years after PEPSI took pop culture by storm with its “Roman Empire” campaign, the brand is back in the arena with a massive gladiator-inspired campaign titled “Make Your Gameday Epic.” As a longtime sponsor of the NFL, Pepsi is celebrating the start of the 2024 NFL season and the highly anticipated theatrical release of Paramount Pictures’ “Gladiator II,” opening exclusively in theaters on November 22. The campaign includes an electrifying short film that is sure to thrill football fans and soda lovers alike. In the film, Megan Thee Stallion, as Empress Megan, leads a legion of NFL superstars transformed into Gladiators, including Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson and Travis Kelce, in an epic battle with Pepsi ice at the center of the action.
The campaign’s soundtrack is a new song created by three-time Grammy Award winner Megan Thee Stallion. The iconic “boom, boom, clap” from Queen’s iconic track “We Will Rock You” is reinterpreted with new lyrics written by Megan. The track is now available on all major streaming platforms and will be featured at the 2024 VMAs on September 11, when Megan will host and the campaign-inspired music video will be shown throughout the event.
“It’s an honor to follow in the footsteps of the legends who were part of this Gladiators campaign 20 years ago and an immense pride to create my own legacy,” said Megan Thee Stallion. “Pepsi has truly brought together the worlds of music, sports and entertainment in a powerful way to kick off the new NFL season. It was so much fun to put my creative spin on such an iconic song like Queen, and I can’t wait for the Hotties to hear it!” In 2004, the brand paired Britney Spears, Beyoncé and Pink in an epic arena.
Inspired by the new film Gladiator II and its predecessor, the “Make Your Gameday Epic” campaign is produced by Ridley Scott Associates, Paramount Brand Studio and directed by Jake Scott, in collaboration with Paramount Pictures. Leveraging the full breadth of Paramount Global’s platforms at launch, the spot opens with Lamorne Morris and Jake Lacy watching a can of Pepsi Zero Sugar transform into a coliseum. Empress Megan leads the action, and a real-life cast of NFL players battle for her attention and a sip of an ice-cold Pepsi to officially “Kick Off Gameday!”
“Bringing the epic world of Gladiator II to life in a modern and dynamic way through this Pepsi campaign was incredibly exciting,” said Jake Scott. “We wanted to create a visual spectacle that captured the energy and intensity of the sport, while paying homage to the iconic film and original Pepsi campaign. The collaboration with Pepsi and the incredible talent involved made this project truly unforgettable.”
“What began as a brand partnership for the movies has evolved into one of the largest promotional programs in our company’s history — spanning movie marketing, CBS Sports and the Paramount Global networks,” said Marc Weinstock, president, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Paramount Pictures. “A film of this magnitude calls for a truly epic campaign, and we can’t think of a more fitting collaboration than with one of the world’s most iconic brands.”
The agency is RSA Films.
Relive the 2004 commercial:
