Pepsi Teams Up with CFL Players to Refresh Canada

There's no question that Pepsi's "Refresh Project" has been an astounding success since it was launched in 2009. The initiative has impacted and inspired the lives of many as Pepsi has donated millions of dollars to fund great ideas to make communities around North America a better place. 

From a promotional standpoint, the platform has proven to be terrific for Pepsi on all fronts as it's easily applicable to all of Pepsi's touch points, including team and league partnerships. Pepsi recently teamed up the Canadian Football League and eight (8) CFL players (each representing a different team) to create a captivating campaign that features each of the players competing for a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh Project grant to support an idea that makes a positive change in their community.

The CFL Challenge initiative, which runs through Wednesday, November 24th, encourages CFL fans to vote for their favorite players' campaigns in a head-to-head competition that will decide who will win the $50,000 grant. The initiative allows notable CFL players to work hard off the field for a good cause and leverage the support of their avid fan base - a "win-win" for all parties involved.

Here is a quick breakdown of the campaigns each of the CFL players are supporting:

• Jason Arakgi, BC Lions - Camp Goodtimes
• Patrick Kabongo, Edmonton Eskimos - Wellspring Edmonton
• Wes Lysack, Calgary Stampeders - Canadian Cancer Society Patient Care Kits
• Rob Bagg, Saskatchewan Roughriders - Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Canada
• Luke Fritz, Winnipeg Blue Bombers - Winnipeg Harvest Hunger for Hope Program
• Andre Durie, Toronto Argonauts - Community Living Mississauga
• Marwan Hage, Hamilton Tiger-Cats - McMaster Children's Hospital
• Anthony Calvillo, Montreal Alouettes - The Cedars Cancer Institute

Check out the initiative below:

Pepsi Lets Fans Pick the Halftime Music of the Grey Cup

Are you looking for new ways to engage fans in your organization's halftime entertainment? Are you looking to create a unique promotion around a major event that incorporates the voice of fans?

Pepsi recently unveiled a tremendous 'Name Your Playlist' contest that enables fans the chance to choose which of their favorite hits will be played during halftime of the CFL's Grey Cup. With the popular band Blue Rodeo set to play at halftime of the game, fans can log on to http://www.greycuphalftimeshow.ca and choose the three (3) songs (out of ten (10) of the band's greatest hits) that they would like to see played.

Those who participate in the 'Name Your Playlist' have the chance to win weekly prizes from Pepsi, Blue Rodeo, the CFL, and Wilson. The contest is set to run through November 20th, just days prior to the Grey Cup game on November 30th in Calgary at 6:30 pm (the game is being broadcast on TSN and RDS). Pepsi Max is the official sponsor of the Grey Cup Halftime Show.

The 'Name Your Playlist' promotion is terrific because it incorporates the passion people have for both sports and music and marries them all into one contest. As fans often debate on the entertainment value of halftime performances and pre-game entertainment, the contest allows Pepsi a way for them to feel like they have a say in the festivities... a notion that is huge with Gen Y consumers.

Source: TSN

A special thanks to Darryl Dionne of the PHPA for his insights and contributions to this column.