Pepsi Is Blanketing Coke’s Hometown With Ads as Atlanta Prepares to Host the Super Bowl

January 22, 2019

If there’s one question that arouses more intense emotions than any other in Atlanta, it’s likely this: “Is Pepsi OK?”

In Coca-Cola’s home turf, “Coke” and “soda” are synonymous, which isn’t too surprising, given that the brand’s relationship with Atlanta goes back more than 125 years.

Pepsi certainly has a presence in the city, largely thanks to its exclusive relationship with fast food chains like Taco Bell. But now the brand is really stepping up its visibility as Atlanta gears up to host this year’s Super Bowl.

With a tone halfway between coy and snarky, Pepsi’s new outdoor ads are celebrating its arrival as the official soft drink of Super Bowl LIII. They’ve been appearing across the city—which obviously hasn’t gone unnoticed.

In addition to the ad above, here are two others running in various executions across the Atlanta area:

“Super Bowl is one of our favorite times of the year and Pepsi will be in full force in Atlanta—in stores, on billboards, on recycling bins and at and around the stadium,” says Todd Kaplan, Pepsi’s vp of marketing. “We are working in close partnership with our great local customers, and while we aren’t ready to talk about all our consumer activations in Atlanta quite yet, we do have some fun moments planned on the ground.”

Even if you’re not in Atlanta for the big game, you can expect to see plenty of Pepsi and its sister products during the Super Bowl broadcast. PepsiCo has bought 30-second ads for flagship Pepsi, Doritos and its sparkling water brand Bubly (which will also have its own out-of-home campaign in Atlanta).

Pepsi is also the sponsor of the Halftime Show, and its Gatorade products will be featured on sidelines as the official sports drink for the game. In addition, PepsiCo-owned Frito-Lay will have a Tostitos Cantina activation at the Super Bowl to connect fans with NFL veterans.

PepsiCo has already released teasers for its Pepsi Super Bowl (with Lil Jon) and Bubly spot (with Michael Bublé).

For all the latest Super Bowl advertising news—who’s in, who’s out, teasers, full ads and more—check out Adweek’s Super Bowl LIII Ad Tracker. And join us on the evening of Feb. 3 for the best in-game coverage of the Super Bowl commercials anywhere.