Pepsi Lime and Diet Pepsi Lime are making their national debut just in time for the lucrative summer months with a blend of promotions dangling hefty prizes.
The “Lime Guys”—a couple of friendly, animated lime characters—debut next week on two 15-second TV spots (including one Spanish-language spot) accompanied by an Internet marketing campaign. BBDO New York handles TV ads.
Centerpieces of the launch are interactive Web sites for both brands—Pepsilime.com and Dietpepsilime.com—which debuted Tuesday. Content at the site will be ramped up over the coming weeks to include a vacation sweepstakes and an interactive video game.
A key theme around the design of the site focuses on Pepsi’s efforts to offer experiences at its Web sites that transcend the typical consumer packaged goods product Web site, offering a bit of entertainment that conveys the brand message, said Bart Casabona, the manager of Pepsi Interactive Marketing.
“We’re trying to engage consumers with an experience that goes beyond one-way communication so they have a reason to come back often and stay longer,” he said.
The game, Pepsi Lime Straw Fight, launches on May 20, bringing to life the lime characters, which also help guide visitors throughout the site. A teaser at the site reads: “A challenge betwee limes can be settled only one way—WITH STRAWS!”
Players can choose five different moves to play the animated fight game against friends, those in the gallery or against the computer. A running total will be kept for each player. Players log in and receive an identity that can then be used to find friends and other players who are active at the site.
“It’s a very engaging interactive experience,” Casabona said.
The online sweeps begins May 12 and runs through June 6 with a grand prize of a four-night stay at Breezes Runaway Bay in Jamaica, airfare and $1,000 spending money. Additional prizes include Sony Walkman CD players with portables speakers, a carrying case and music CDs as well as lesser prizes of Pepsi Lime branded hats, towels and coupons.
Other content at the site will be a screen saver with a mini game built in. Tribal DDB, Dallas, developed the online site.
Pepsi also plans to leverage its exclusive beverage sponsorship of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, opening nationwide May 19. Pepsi Lime will be part of the Call Upon Yoda instant-win on-pack sweepstakes that can be played online at Calluponyoda.com, by phone to an 800 number where a movie character conveys whether the caller is a winner or via text messaging. Players get the chance to win one of 10 $100,000 grand prizes.
Instore P-O-P also supports.
“We are trying to kick off the launch of regular and Diet Pepsi with Lime with a fully integrated marketing program that hits consumers at as many touch points as possible,” Casabona said.
The beverages will be available in 20-ounce bottles, 2-liter bottles and 12-packs and 24-packs of 12-ounce cans. Full distribution is expected by Memorial Day.
Rival Coca-Cola launched Diet Coke with Lime early last year.
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