Pepsi Mexico scores big with “Horrible” soccer star

Pepsi Mexico’s latest 360 campaign turned Mexican soccer idol Oribe Peralta from “Horrible” to “Gorgeous” (Hermoso).

Pretty much every soccer player has a nickname. In the case of Oribe Peralta, a key striker in Mexico’s National Team, his was a bit mean: “Horrible”.

Hence the insight that bred this a multiplatform campaign: Oribe is not horrible, he is a gorgeous player and as such his nickname must change.

Developed by BBDO Mexico together with the regional hub BBDO Argentina, the campaign kicked off with a hilarious TV spot in which Pepsi invited people to start calling him by the nickname he really deserves: Hermoso Peralta (Gorgeous Peralta).
The TV spot also included a prominent cameo by another Mexican heartthrob & huge telenovela star: Aarón Díaz.

With over 3 million visits on YouTube within a few days and a major buzz on social media, the phenomenon captured the attention of the press, in Mexico and abroad. Oribe actually used his new “Gorgeous” nickname on the back of his Santos Laguna team jersey. Today, whenever he scores a goal, Gorgeous Peralta, becomes a trending topic.

“Football is more than just a game or a pastime. It’s a cultural force that socially connects fans to live for now. It is the job of  brands like Pepsi to unlock the excitement of the moments that surround it” concludes Nicolás López, Marketing Director of Pepsi Mexico.

Video in English:  CLICK HERE.

Video in Spanish:  CLICK HERE.