As a major sponsor on Simon Cowell's American version of The X Factor now airing on FOX, it's in Pepsi's interest to engage fans in the series.

That's why it's behind two digital platforms to do just that: Pepsi Pulse and Pepsi Sound Off, which combine gamification and social TV to enhance the viewing experience, and deliver on the promise that fans would experience the program in ways “never imagined.”Continue reading...

Jennifer Lopez may have been criticized for the Fiat 500 spot disguised as her latest video, but that hasn't stopped her or Fiat from releasing a follow-up video featuring the Fiat 500 cabriolet. "Here, this is my world. This place inspires me...to be tougher, to stay sharper, to think faster. They may be just streets to you, but to me, they're a playground," Lopez says in a voiceover about her old "Jenny From the Block" neighborhood in the Bronx. Her song Until It Beats No More (featured on her latest album "Love?") plays in the background, just as her last Fiat video featured Papi, a tune from the same album.

"We watch as she leaves Manhattan and makes her way back to the Bronx, where she grew up and continues to be inspired by. The commercial tells the story of how the simple elements of our upbringing can help explain who we are, where we’re going and serve as a source of inspiration to achieve our goals in life. That drive and determination is the common thread that is shared with the Fiat brand and our philosophy that ‘Life is Best When Driven'," stated Olivier Francois, Head of Fiat and Chief Marketing Officer and Brand Marketing Communications, Chrysler Group LLC, in a press release.

Francois is keen to position this as her first Fiat commercial, even though the Papi spot — which he told Ad Age he sees as a trailer for JL's video and not a commercial for the Fiat 500 — ran during Monday Night Football, during a commercial break that Chrysler paid for.

While Apple heralded the post-Jobs era with the introduction of the iPhone 4S (aka the iPhone 5 in disguise), and created plenty of hubbub surrounding iOS 5 and iCloud, what about the latest updates regarding those MP3 players you still can’t live without?

We’re talking about the Zune, man! You know…that Microsoft product that was launched five years ago? To take on the iPod? Because not everyone is an Apple acolyte?

If your reaction to the idea of “Zune news” is “Wait, that thing is still around?,” don’t worry. After treating the Zune as if it were a MacBook that Steve Ballmer was asked to autograph, Microsoft officially killed the portable music player.

While the third-ranked Best Global Brand is putting the money-hemorrhaging device out of its misery, Microsoft will continue (for now, at least) to use the Zune brand name and assets, including the Zune Music Pass media download and streaming service.Continue reading...

Anheuser-Busch InBev is planning to market America's Heartland brew — Budweiser — to Brazil as a premium brand.

Its plan is do more than just tell Brazilians "This Bud's for you" in Portuguese. AB InBev is planning to sell the world's third-largest beer market (and other emerging markets) on the American Dream, as AB InBev CMO Chris Burggraeve comments to Bloomberg Businessweek.

The move also makes sense as beer sales in America have lost their momentum in the last five years. Imports and craft beers along with lower-calorie brews are taking away major chunks of the marketplace once dominated by some big-name brands. For companies such as MillerCoors and AB InBev, that’s meant the loss of beaucoup bucks.Continue reading...

In a Facebook promotion that launched Oct. 1st, Coca-Cola is inviting Australians to 'Share a Coke with a Mate' in a $5 million campaign as summer heats up down under.

Cans and bottles with some of Australia's most popular names have been popping up over the past two weeks, cans branded Jess, Sam, Kevin, Edward, Matt and Kate.

Coke is hoping that 268 million sodas will sell during the next three months as the company swaps its branding for one of 150 of Australia's most popular names, the first time Coke has changed its packaging in 125 years. If your name isn’t one of the top 150, stop at a Coke kiosk in one of 18 Westfield-owned shopping centers for free personalization.Continue reading...

Coca-Cola today unveiled its London 2012 Olympics marketing plan, with an integrated campaign called "Move to the Beat" that's inspired by the sounds, spirit and culture" of the host city, and also extends and reinforces its global campaign to engage teens through music.

The centerpiece of the 2012 campaign: Grammy award-winning producer Mark Ronson is creating an anthem with flame-haired British singer Katy B that "fuses the sounds of Olympic sports with the beat of London music."Continue reading...

Fiat USA executives have been disappointed that the brand and the new 500 haven't been catching on so far in the United States as well as they had planned. So hopes were high for its latest US TV commercial — featuring Jennifer Lopez driving a Fiat 500 in what is really a Fiat-funded teaser spot for Papi, her latest music video — until the spot was panned by critics for taking product placement to new cheesetastic levels.

But in the criterion that really counts — is JLo helping to sell Fiats in America? — People's 2011 Most Beautiful Woman is turning heads toward the brand.

Consumer consideration of the car on the pages of Edmunds.com has climbed by 31% since the ad broke on September 12 during ESPN's Monday Night Football, the automotive-information website reports. Fiat consideration was up 95% alone on September 18, when the ad ran throughout Sunday NFL telecasts.Continue reading...

In honor of its season sponsorship of The X Factor on FOX, which the New York Times reports "fell short" in the ratings department for its Wednesday night debut, Pepsi's new commercial during the series premiere.

Pepsi's spot pays homage to the artists and performers in its advertising campaigns: Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Kanye West, Mariah Carey, and Ray Charles. The theme: "Pepsi's music heritage continues. Who's next?"