Pepsi has swapped its trademark colour to orange and re-established a partnership with Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr to announce that it is all in on the Edmonton Oilers.
To celebrate the team’s entry into the playoffs, Pepsi is giving away LTO Oilers Pepsi exclusively on the streets of Edmonton and through an Instagram initiative.
The campaign was supported by Anomaly on creative, OMD on media buying and Golin on PR.
Fuhr, a cornerstone of an Oilers dynasty that included household names such as Wayne Gretzky, Paul Coffey and Mark Messier first partnered with the brand in 1990 during the season Edmonton last won the Stanley Cup.
Fuhr is something of a sponsorship trailblazer because of a deal he made with Pepsi during his playing days to feature the brand’s logo and colours on his gear. The partnership was eventually nixed by the NHL, but the practice of brand sponsorships on team uniforms has become commonplace decades later.
“The enthusiastic reception to this reunion from fans has been remarkable and fun to watch,” says PepsiCo Beverages senior marketing director Laura Gray. “Since announcing Fuhr’s involvement, we’ve seen significant engagement across social channels.”
The campaign is being amplified across several channels with an emphasis social media. Pepsi also purchased front-page ads in the Edmonton Journal and the Edmonton Sun to celebrate Game 1 of the Oilers’ first-round series against the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. Edmonton trails 2-0 as the best-of-seven series shifts to Alberta for Game 3 on Friday.
Netminders are also front and centre in Pepsi’s Zero Sugar NHL Goalie Challenge, a weekly contest that drives fan engagement on the league’s website.
While there is no plan to expand Oilers Pepsi nationally, Gray says the brand is always seeking consumer feedback on opportunities that resonate.
Oilers mascot Hunter made an appearance at a Sobeys in the Belmont area of Edmonton this week to give away the product.
On Wednesday, the beverage giant cut its earnings forecast amid market volatility and reported a net sales drop of 1.8%. The losses were partly offset by strength in Pepsi Zero Sugar and Miss Vickie’s chips.
CEO Ramon Laguarta said the company is “taking action” to improve its performance in North America.
