Pepsi and the curse of the second place

Pepsi had a number of controversies surrounding their pop star endorsers

• The firstinternational pop star to become a spokesperson for Pepsi wasMichael Jackson.While filming an ad in 1984, a pyrotechnics stunt went wrong and badly burnt Jackson. The accident would leave Jackson addicted to painkillers for the rest of his life.
• In 1987,David BowieandTina Turnersang a duet of "Modern Love" for a Pepsi ad. The same year, Bowie was accused of sexual assault and the company dropped the ad immediately.
• Madonnawas named the new Pepsi spokeswoman in 1989. However, her video for"Like a Prayer,"a song that was used in a Pepsi commercial, was deemed blasphemous andbrought accusations ofanti-Catholicism against the company.
• In August 2002,Pepsi pulled a national 30-second ad featuringLudacrisfrom the air after Fox'sBill O'Reillycalled for a boycott of the soft drink company for using an "immoral rapper" as a spokesperson. When Pepsi began running ads with the Osbournes instead,Russell Simmons said it wasracially insensitive. In the end, Pepsi was asked to make anannual contribution of $1 million to the Ludacris Foundationfor three years as amends.

Pepsi spends $5 million navel-gazing

Tasked with creating a new global campaign, chief creative officerBrad Jakeman spent nine months and $5 million dollarsto figure out what exactly sets his brand apart from its competitor.His final conclusion was that "Coke is timeless. Pepsi is timely."Coke represents permanent happiness while Pepsi is all about excitement.

Did he really need to spend $5 million to figure that out? You don't need a consultancy to tell you that Coke has used the polar bear and Santa mascots for decades. The product is named "Classic." Everything about the brand is traditional.

Pepsi, on the other hand, has changed its spokespeople numerous times and it often relies on pop stars and music to fuel its campaigns. Pepsi has always emphasized its youth.

Look at its slogans from the past 50 years:

• 1961-1964: "Now It's Pepsi for Those Who Think Young"
• 1969-1975: "You've Got a Lot to Live, and Pepsi's Got a Lot to Give"
• 1981-1983: "Pepsi's Got Your Taste for Life"
• 1984-1991: "Pepsi. The Choice of a New Generation"
• 1992-1993: "Be Young, Have Fun, Drink Pepsi"
• 1993-1994: "Right Now"
• 1997-1998: "Generation Next"
• 1999-2000: "For Those Who Think Young"

According to the source attributes credibility, attractiveness, and power - evaluate the 4 celebrities that Pepsi used (you may use internet to know more about them) Celebrity/Attribute Credibility Attractiveness Power Michael Jackson David Bowie & Tina Turner Madonna Christopher Brian Bridges (Ludacris)