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Pepsi US counting on the dark Star Wars force to build brand connect
MUMBAI: Pepsi in the US is counting on the dark force to help it build up a stronger brand connect with the consumer. In conjunction with the 19 May release of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, Pepsi-Cola North America has announced that it will run an online promotion and a new Diet Pepsi commercial. Both will center around everyone’s favourite Jedi Master — Yoda.
In addition, Pepsi will partner with 7-Eleven to offer Darth Dew Slurpee and four limited-edition 3-D cups at participating stores across the US. From 18 April Pepsi drinkers and Star Wars fans have three ways to play the Call Upon Yoda instant-win sweepstakes — online, by phone, or by text messaging — to see if they’ve won one of ten $100,000 grand prizes. Other prizes include Star Wars toys and games from Hasbro and Lego and free 2-liter bottles of Pepsi Lime. The sweepstakes will also bring fans closer to the film characters, Yoda, Darth Vader, C3PO and R2-D2 through web-based interactive games and phone and text messaging programmes.
Yoda will encourage fans to achieve success via the Jedi Training Games and the Intergalactic Translator at the sweepstakes Web site.
The film’s character Yoda also stars in a new Diet Pepsi commercial called Jedi Mind Trick. The spot is scheduled to begin airing in May and features the same award-winning special effects that ILM creates for Star Wars. Set in a diner, Yoda sits at the counter and uses the Force to try to get a Diet Pepsi to drink with his meal. A special appearance by the famous Wookiee, Chewbacca, ends
the spot with typical Pepsi humour. The commercial was created by BBDO New York.
As far as new beverage drinks are concerned Darth Dew Slurpee will be available at participating 7-Eleven stores across the US in May. Mountain Dew Pitch Black is the popular limited-edition soda that combines the great taste of Mountain Dew with a blast of black grape flavor. Darth Dew Slurpee is modeled after Mountain Dew Pitch Black and will be served in four different Episode III collectible 3-D cups with lids shaped like the head of Darth Vader.
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GUEST COLUMN: How data and adtech are driving OOH growth in India
Data and technology are reshaping OOH and boosting advertiser confidence.
MUMBAI: Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising is evolving from a traditional, location-driven medium into a data-informed channel that blends physical presence with digital intelligence. For Nipun Arora, co-founder of Osmo, this transformation is redefining how advertisers plan, execute, and measure campaigns in India. In this piece, Arora explores how traffic, mobility, and AI-powered data are enhancing site and audience insights, why DOOH is accelerating precision planning, and how authenticity, creativity, and repeat exposure are driving renewed advertiser confidence in OOH.
For years, Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising operated with minimal reliance on data. Site selection was largely driven by visibility, location, and a planner’s understanding of traffic patterns.
That is now changing rapidly.
The first shift came with traffic data, offering basic estimates of vehicular movement. This evolved into mobility data powered by GPS signals, enabling deeper insights into audience movement and behavior. Point-of-interest data further refined this by helping advertisers understand who is likely to be present around a location.
Today, artificial intelligence and computer vision are unlocking an entirely new layer of site and audience intelligence. Together, these data streams are transforming OOH from a real estate-led medium into a data-backed one.
The rise of Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) is accelerating this shift. Campaigns can now be planned, scheduled, and optimized with increasing precision bringing OOH closer to an adtech model. That said, as a physical medium, OOH still operates within real-world constraints, making this transition gradual rather than absolute.
At the same time, advertisers are returning to OOH with renewed interest.
One of the biggest drivers is authenticity. Unlike digital platforms, OOH offers real-world visibility free from bots, fraudulent impressions, or ad blockers. What you see is what exists.
There’s also growing digital fatigue. Consumers are overwhelmed by constant online advertising, often choosing to skip or ignore it. OOH, by contrast, engages audiences naturally within their environment, without interruption.
Mobility further strengthens its impact. As people move through cities daily, OOH benefits from repeated exposure building recall over time in a way few channels can match.
Add to this the power of creativity. Large formats and contextual executions don’t just capture attention, they often extend beyond the physical space, finding life on social media.
Finally, the increasing availability of data at the planning stage is boosting advertiser confidence. Better insights mean better decisions and more accountability.
As cities grow and movement increases, OOH is uniquely positioned at the intersection of physical presence and data intelligence. Its evolution from billboards to big data isn’t just a technological shift, it’s a redefinition of the medium itself.
Note: The views expressed in this article are solely the author’s and do not necessarily reflect our own.
