Ad Campaigns
Pepsi, Usher and UrtheCast partner to create film adventure
MUMBAI: In a first-of-its-kind, Pepsi is creating and producing a short film that will include footage from UrtheCast – the world’s first full-color Ultra High-Definition video system located aboard the International Space Station (ISS), feature Pepsi consumers from around the world and leverage the creative and artistic direction of eight-time Grammy award winning entertainer Usher. As part of this year’s Pepsi Challenge (#PEPSICHALLENGE) campaign, the interstellar short film combines video, music, technology and storytelling, with Pepsi consumers across the globe playing a role in the experience.
“On one level, the ambition of this short film is mind-boggling because it’s an original screenplay that features real-life footage shot from outer-space. But, having visionary creators, cutting-edge technologists like UrtheCast and an iconic artist like Usher make it a realistic, exciting collaboration across tech, film, music and pop culture,” said PepsiCo Global Beverages Group chief marketing officer, global consumer engagement Frank Cooper III.
To be released this fall, the short film will be shot from multiple locations and perspectives – both on Earth and in space. Designed to unite and inspire generations around the world as part of the #PepsiChallenge, Pepsi will invite consumers to participate in this unique film phenomenon. Filming will take place in more than 10 countries across four continents where thousands of consumers will join together to be filmed by UrtheCast’s proprietary HD video camera – permanently and impressively leaving their mark on history as part of this once-in-a-lifetime experience.
While UrtheCast captures a powerful perspective from space that few have ever experienced, Usher will invite fans to capture through a single photo an image that they feel inspires and amazes others to look at the world in a new way. Beginning today through June 2nd, fans around the world can submit one photo each day to PepsiChallenge.com. Usher will select the most powerful image and invite the talent behind the lens to meet him on set at the upcoming film shoot, with the winning image also featured in the short film. For contest official rules, including eligibility requirements, and to view a selection of the best images from around the world, visit www.PepsiChallenge.com.
“Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of some truly amazing experiences. I’ve always tried to push boundaries and to inspire others to go beyond what they perceive as their limits. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to partner with Pepsi and UrtheCast to be a part of creating this intergalactic short film shot from space and am excited to jump in and take on this once-in-a-lifetime challenge and experience,” said Usher.
With a launch that marked #PepsiChallenge as the #1 Twitter trending topic worldwide, and engagements by and with Pepsi global brand ambassadors and international luminaries, fashion houses and sports celebrities alike, the Pepsi Challenge continues throughout 2015 with additional global and local challenges designed to galvanize consumers around the world to live life to the fullest and make every moment – big or small – epic. Challenges are issued on Pepsi social channels, PepsiChallenge.com and via global and local ambassadors.
NATIONAL: Amazon Ads has laid out a sharply tech-led vision for the advertising industry in 2026, arguing that artificial intelligence, streaming TV and creator partnerships will combine to turn brand building into a more precise, performance-driven business.
At the heart of the shift, the company says, is the fusion of AI with Amazon’s vast trove of shopping, browsing and streaming signals, allowing advertisers to move beyond blunt reach metrics to campaigns designed around real customer behaviour.
“The future of advertising is not about reaching more people, but the right people with messages that resonate,” said Amazon Ads India head and vice president Girish Prabhu. “By combining AI with deep customer insights, we help brands move from broadcasting campaigns to having meaningful conversations wherever audiences spend their time.”
One of the biggest changes, according to Amazon Ads, will be the collapse of the wall between media planning and creative development. Retail media, powered by first-party data, is increasingly shaping everything from brand discovery to final purchase, pushing marketers to design campaigns around audience insight rather than internal instinct.
AI is also moving from a support tool to a creative engine. Agentic AI, which automates and accelerates production, is expected to make high-quality creative accessible even to small businesses, compressing weeks of work into hours and giving challengers the ability to compete with larger brands on speed and scale.
Behind the scenes, AI-driven analytics will take on a bigger role in campaign optimisation, identifying patterns, spotting opportunities and recommending actions that would previously have required teams of analysts.
Streaming TV is another big battleground. With India’s video streaming audience now above 600 million and connected TV users at 129.2 million in 2025, advertisers are set to treat streaming not just as a branding channel but as a performance engine, measured increasingly by sales, sign-ups and bookings rather than just reach.
Finally, Amazon Ads sees creators and contextual advertising reshaping how brands tell stories. Creators will act less like influencers and more like long-term partners, while scene-aware ads on streaming platforms will allow brands to insert hyper-relevant offers into the flow of what viewers are watching.
Taken together, Amazon Ads argues, these shifts mark a move towards advertising that is both more human and more measurable, where AI handles the complexity, and creativity does the persuading.
