Super Bowl has been a prime platform to display ads by some of the biggest brands in the game. Pepsi and Coca-cola ad rivalry is always a major talking point throughout the years. But This year, Both the beverage giants have opted against displaying any ads throughout the NFL final game, giving the difficult pandemic time as the primary reason.
Pepsi announced they would not be running any marketing promotion throughout the Superbowl LV; instead, Pepsi will look forward to successfully sponsor its annual halftime show, hosted by hip-hop artist The Weekend.
Whereas, Coca-cola has also confirmed not displaying any ad throughout the Superbowl event, stating the company aims to “ensure we are investing in the right resources during these unprecedented times.” Last year, Coca-cola spent a whopping $10 million on Superbowl Advertising expense, and the company is looking to limit its expenses by cutting down the advertising cost.
The decision made by the duopoly in beverage markets isn’t surprising, considering the state of the COVID-19 Pandemic, which has shaken the advertising budgets of some leading brands.