CorpComms Magazine

US beverage company Pepsi's strong footballing associations won it a third of the soft drink viral video market during the 2010 World Cup, despite a limited media budget and not being an official sponsor of the games.

The US drinks company left its arch-rival and South Africa 2010 partner Coca-Cola for dust, scooping 33 per cent of the digital dividends to Coke's eight per cent. It also scored just ahead of viral video veterans Evian, according to figures from online video analytics company Visible Measures.

With restrictions on TV advertising for non-official sponsors and a relatively marketing small budget for the tournament, Pepsi ploughed efforts into publicising its 'moving pitch' video, featuring some of the game's international stars Messi, Arshavin, Henry, Kaka, Lampard, Drogba and Torres, online.

Pepsi promoted the video via a variety of channels, releasing teasers in broadcast media and launching an integrated digital advertising platform with Microsoft which offered games and competitions as well as hosting the video. It then gave viewers a range of ways to share the link with friends.

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