Pepsi Goes After Music Lovers

As Pepsi continues to lag behind Coca-Cola as the number one soda maker in the country, the company is taking a new approach to lure customers: music. 

In addition to a new promotion with Twitter to livestream concerts, Pepsi is creating star-studded marketing campaigns to ramp up the company's pop culture cool. 

The concert promotion will have livestreams of concerts for @Pepsi followers on Twitter, reports the Washington Post. Although the concert lineup hasn't been formally announced, the first concert is slated for June. The promotion also includes campaigns with pop star Nicki Minaj, whose song "Moment 4 Life" will be featured in upcoming ads. 

Minaj isn't the only star Pepsi is courting: Pepsi will also be livestreaming the Los Angeles premiere of Katy Perry's concert-flick, Katy Perry: Part of Me 3D, as well as giving away two tickets to the premiere. Plus, the ad campaign featuring Michael Jackson has everyone abuzz: new can designs, live events, and music opportunities featuring the King of Pop are just in time for Jackson's 25th anniversary of his BAD album and tour. 

The new campaigns show the company's new marketing strategy, reports Reuters; the company is slated to spend an additional $500 to $600 million on marketing this year, mostly targeted at the cola. Pepsi is ranked as the number three cola in America after 2010. And the company believes pop culture can take them to number one on the charts. Said chief creative officer of PepsiCo Global Beverages Group Brad Jakeman to Reuters, "When it's at its best, it's telling people what's important in pop culture ... From a brand perspective, I want this brand to regain its rightful place as a true pop culture icon." Not everyone agrees; however; pop culture gurus believe the campaigns are too polarizing and "over the top."