Mountain Dew

Why was it important for PepsiCo and BBDO to come up with a new creative strategy for the Mountain Dew Brand?

The company was facing changes in the market and it was time to think of a new creative approach. The competition in the CSD market and alternative non-carbonated drinks was becoming fierce, while the use of extreme sports was becoming overexposed.

One of the most important campaigns of the company was the “Do the Dew” with several different ads. Even though that campaign enjoyed its success for eight years, the market was changing. Many other brands started sponsoring the same alternative sports that Mountain Dew had relied upon to boost its image, while the teens were gravitating to new activities and new music that competitors have successfully exploited in their campaigns. Furthermore, the competition in the CDS market was heating up which drew Mountain Dews sales down, while alternative non-carbonated drinks started to attract more and more attention amongst teens.

Moreover, the customer interest in the creative was fading fast and the company had to think about a completely new creative direction. Their advertising became too predictable and the use of alternative sports became less impactful due to oversaturation. As Mountain Dew became a nation-wide popular brand, advertising in the Super Bowl was the next step for the popular drink. Because of the characteristics of the event, the advertising for it had to be different from the others done, catchy and easily understood that would appeal to a wider audience quickly. As seen, the company had tried various different approaches in advertising throughout its history and because of the increased competition and oversaturation of the existing ads, the company if forced to create a new creative campaign as a key strategic weapon for their financial success.