Pepsi has partnered up with hot startup Uber to unveil a Super Bowl-related program that combines improv theater and practical jokery.
On Tuesday and Wednesday in New York this week, Uber will offer Pepsi-sponsored "halftime shows" between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET. For New Yorkers, the shows will appear as an icon on the Uber app. Ordering one prompts a 12-person team — including a six-person band and six cheerleaders — to spill out of a bus, and put on a little Super-Bowl show that lasts four minutes.
It sounds corny, but Charlie Todd of Improv Everywhere is running the campaign with members of the Upright Citizens Brigade, so there might be some genuine hilarity involved.
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For its part, Pepsi is aiming to net some media attention from the uber-hot Uber, as well as raise awareness for its Halftime Show sponsorship. Ignition Factory, a unit of media-buying giant OMD, put the deal together.
Partnering with hot startups is one of Pepsi's favorite tools in its marketing arsenal. In 2012, the brand inked a deal with TaskRabbit to help Pepsi fans do their chores for free. In 2010, Pepsi partnered with a nascent Foursquare. Several years ago, Pepsi also launched its Digital Labs program, which supports young companies, likely in the hopes that their startup buzz would rub off on the brand.
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