PepsiCo and Fuse have been partners for a decade. In 2015, we supported the UEFA Champions League business case and negotiation strategy, culminating in a long-standing portfolio deal across Pepsi, Pepsi Max, Lays (Walkers) and Gatorade. From 2020, PepsiCo agreed a deal with the UEFA Women’s EURO and UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Throughout, we’ve managed the activation programme across retail, experiential, guest experience and content, engaging over 100 markets globally.
The programme anchors PepsiCo brands into sports culture whilst also aligning with a genuine consumption moment, whether it’s snacks, beverages or hydration.
While PepsiCo made the UEFA Champions League Final Kick Off Show by Pepsi a showpiece moment, Lays gave empty crisp bags a second life by recycling them into sustainable football pitches – 11 pitches have been built so far across 5 continents.
Football has become so embedded in PepsiCo that local markets are adapting the central assets. In Norway, for example, Fuse and Pepsi used football to overcome gender bias, undertaking a partnership with TV2, Norway’s largest broadcaster, to put the women’s game on the biggest stage of them all, the Men’s UEFA Champions League broadcast.
There was huge synergy between football and PepsiCo brands with the sponsorship making consumers feel more positive towards the brands.
We successfully drove this association with the UEFA Champions League sponsorship, helping contribute to longer term equity growth amongst UEFA Champions League fans.
This led to an uplift in brand preference and a considerable uplift in brand awareness due to the sponsorship.
Exact details on the results cannot be shared due to confidentiality reasons.
