PepsiCo Offers $1M for Winning Super Bowl Ad

Company bets hefty prize will rekindle buzz around consumer-generated ads

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 24, 2008 11:25 AM CDT

(Newser) – PepsiCo is aiming to grab Budweiser's crown as king of the Super Bowl ads with a contest offering $1 million to anyone who can create a Doritos ad that tops viewer ratings during the game, the Wall Street Journal reports. The company hopes the cash prize will put a fresh spin on the consumer-generated ad concept and give it the edge in pre-game hype.

Dominating the pre-match buzz has become a vital way for advertisers to justify the cost of Super Bowl ads—now $3 million for a 30-second spot. PepsiCo estimates that its contest for a consumer-made Super Bowl ad 2 years generated $36 million in free publicity. The five finalists this time around will get $25,000 each even if their ads fail to knock Budweiser out of the top spot.

[Images (3)]

[Videos (2)]

[Quotes (1)]

An image from the top-rated consumer-generated Doritos ad from the 2007 Super Bowl. (nortontavares)

PepsiCo is asking for consumer help in creating a top-rated Doritos ad to air during the next Super Bowl. ((c) wka)

An ad featuring the Budweiser Clydesdales was the top-rated ad at this year's Super Bowl. (AP Photo/Kyle Ericson,)

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Budweiser's hit Super Bowl ad starring Hank the Clydesdale. (variousyt)

Doritos' 2007 consumer-generated commercial. (hambone155)

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The newness that made it special in 2007 is gone—now it's just another ad. They are trying to manufacture buzz. - Dave Balter, chief executive of BzzAgent, a word-of-mouth media company

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PepsiCo Offers $1M for Winning Super Bowl Ad