Pepsi Max launches global campaign featuring star-studded football line-up

Pepsi Max has launched its latest global campaign that brings new signing Jack Grealish together with global football talent, Son Heung-Min, Vini Jr. and Leah Williamson in the ultimate game of street football. The campaign is now live and will roll out across global markets. The hero film – the first chapter in Pepsi Max’s “Where There’s A Ball There’s A Way” campaign – will be supported with social content focusing on each of the four ambassadors.

The film is available here.

The global campaign – which launches to coincide with Pepsi Max’s partnership with the UEFA Champions League – aims to demonstrate the power of football to bring enjoyment regardless of how or where it’s played.

The shadow of Wembley’s iconic arch was chosen as the location for the film because it hosts this year’s UEFA Champions League final. The spots contrast a game of street football played outside one of the world’s great stadia and show how a game of football can take place anywhere there is an appetite to play.

It features a group of local Londoners who challenge the Pepsi Max ambassadors to a game of “Keepy-Uppy”. In-spite of the “No Ball Games Allowed” signs hanging over their heads, the Pepsi Max ambassadors accept a challenge from a local street football team and high-octane action ensues.

The resulting game features unreal trick-shots, and creative street freestyle football as the two teams face off. The global stars battle it out in an enthralling keepy-uppy competition against the locals in Wembley outside a traditional London café taken over by Pepsi Max for the occasion.

“Being thirsty for more – Pepsi Max’s philosophy – means feeling that wherever there is a ball, there is an opportunity to find new and unexpected ways to find enjoyment through the game," said Eric Melis, VP of Global Brand Marketing, Carbonated Soft Drinks at PepsiCo. "Whether you’re playing on the biggest stages in the world or on city streets, there’s an opportunity to unlock the enjoyment that it brings”

“This film is the first chapter in our “Where There’s A Ball There’s A Way” campaign as we look to engage with the footballing community and highlight any barriers to access to the sport, remembering always that all you need is a football, the right attitude and you’ve got yourself a game. We’ve got big plans for the rest of the year working both within football itself and within the wider culture around the game.

The film captures jaw-dropping footballing skills. Jack Grealish is captured in slow-motion pulling-off tricks while taking selfies with fans. Son’s cheeky grin and fan-favourite signature “camera” goal celebration also make an appearance. Leah Williamson steps in to save the Pepsi Max team from near defeat while Vini Jr. shows off his skills against the London-based challengers.

The stars are also joined in the action by football icon Karen Carney, who pops-up to commentate on the match that is unfolding on the streets. As the film comes to a close, Legendary Londoner Vinnie Jones appears to go head-to-head with Vini Jr. giving the locals the win against Pepsi Max’s all-star international line-up. He kicks the ball towards Wembley’s iconic arch to finish the game before proclaiming, “There’s only one Vinnie J”.

The film ends with Vini Jr. revealing that he is wearing a jacket that turns into a football which he removes and kicks for the waiting players so they can continue their game.

Going forwards, Pepsi Max’s “Where There’s A Ball There’s A Way” campaign will see the brand unlock unexpected ways to play, both on and off the pitch in the years to come. The campaign will become a platform from which Pepsi Max can challenge the conventions that are holding people back from enjoying more football and will be expressed through fashion collaborations, entertainment and social content.