Pepsi takes on the K-Pop wave with Blackpink
Soft drinks giant Pepsi has signed on K-pop group Blackpink as its new brand ambassador in Asia Pacific.
The hugely popular world of K-Pop continues to rack up millions of views online, with brands rapidly jumping on board.
The group’s four members Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa will feature in Pepsi’s “Go All In For What You Love” campaign which aims to encourage the next generation to push beyond their limits.
"We are excited to welcome international K-Pop group, Blackpink, as brand ambassadors for our latest campaign launch in Malaysia and Singapore. Blackpink perpetuates a uniquely youthful attitude and zest for life that perfectly embodies the Pepsi brand, and we envision music lovers and fans of Blackpink in Malaysia and Singapore to be absolutely thrilled as Pepsi brings their idols closer to our shores,” said Salman Butt, the senior marketing director for Asia Pacific at Pepsico.
“Blackpink’s touching story of grit, tenacity and resilience over the years to realise their dream ultimately put them on the road to stardom are exactly the admirable traits that can resonate with the younger generation and inspire them to emulate their idols. Our latest campaign will be all about encouraging the younger generation to pursue their dreams and set them on the right path towards finding the inner strength and boldness they never knew they had.”
The hugely popular world of K-Pop continues to rack up millions of views online, with brands rapidly realising that they need to get involved. Beyond ticket sales, music downloads and merchandise, K-Pop stars amass their fortune through sponsorship, meaning there is a long waiting list of brands eager to get a slice of the action.
On Twitter, the platform recorded over 5.3 billion conversations related to K-pop in 2018, encouraging Twitter to extend its In-Stream Video Ads (IVA) and In-Stream Videos Sponsorships (IVS) capabilities to K-pop content.
The platform also introduced Bluerooms, which are live Q&A sessions on Twitter between over 200 K-pop artists and their fans. The platform claimed it recorded an average of a million viewership for each K-pop Twitter Blueroom in 2018.
Brands that have tried this include LG Uplus, which is owned by South Korean conglomerate LG. In its Blueroom activation, the brand introduced its video platform, U+ Idol Live, to K-pop fans globally.
How will Pepsi and Blackpink work together?
• Pepsi and Blackpink will work on an ad showcasing the work and life of the four group members.
• Limited edition Pepsi products will be released at 7-11 outlets in Malaysia and Singapore, where the four group members will be featured on the collaboration products.
• There will be a marketing campaign to raise brand awareness through various media platforms with giveaways expected.