PURCHASE, N.Y., March 16, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Pepsi
announced its continued dynamic partnership with FOX's hit TV show,
EMPIRE, for the series' third season, which will bridge art, music
and pop culture. In the season's spring return on March 22, Pepsi will retreat to the Lyon's den to
give fans a deeper glimpse into their favorite family drama with
new and immersive content and real-life experiences including:
extended EMPIRE storylines, music and visual content made
accessible at their fingertips via mobile or online. The two
entities first partnered in 2015 to bring this first-of-its-kind
partnership into the season two storyline, blending fiction and
reality with lead character Jamal
Lyon, played by Jussie Smollett, who becomes Pepsi's "Next
Artist" both on and off screen.
This time, Pepsi is rewarding fans by giving them more of what
they crave: addictive EMPIRE stories and stunning music content,
all consumable exclusively via Pepsi and EMPIRE platforms. For the
first time, Pepsi will introduce three fan-first digital and social
extensions which will serve as complementary builds to an on-screen
narrative to leave viewers intrigued and excited for future
episodes. These extensions include: a nine-episode "EMERGE" social
series; the launch of six limited-edition EMPIRE mini-cans
showcasing custom artwork created by artist Jon Moody via which fans can use Shazam to
unlock behind-the-scenes content; and a first-ever EMPIRE musical
tribute entitled When Cookie Met Lucious, feat. Jamal (more
information below).
Continuing to blend fiction and reality, the multi-platform
partnership also includes a cameo appearance on EMPIRE by rising
pop songstress Tinashe, who was just announced as Pepsi's
newest Sound Drop artist today. Tinashe is seen
working alongside the character Jamal while he develops his musical
tribute, a storyline that sparks on EMPIRE and comes to life via
social series EMERGE, which also features fellow Sound
Drop artist Jidenna and EMPIRE fan-favorites Gabourey
Sibide (as A&R executive Becky
Williams) and Ta'Rhonda Jones (as Porsha).
"Our continued partnership with the biggest show on television
signifies both Pepsi and EMPIRE coming together for another round
of creative storytelling," states Stacy
Taffet, Marketing Sr. Director, Pepsi. "It's giving fans
access to the best of both worlds by combining fresh talent and
music from our Sound Drop platform and fan-first experiences
to really bring the story to life off the screen."
"FOX is thrilled to partner once again with Pepsi in follow-up
to last season's groundbreaking EMPIRE collaboration that took
branded partnerships to a whole new level," said Bruce Lefkowitz, Executive Vice President of Ad
Sales, Fox Networks Group. "As this robust, new multi-platform
initiative with Pepsi shows, advertisers can play big with FOX. We
bring innovative ideas and real solutions to our partners that
create a better, more immersive experience for our viewers – and
that deliver real engagement on every platform imaginable."
"EMERGE" Social Series
Pepsi and FOX will launch the
"day in the life" online social series, "EMERGE," which will debut
on EMPIRE's Facebook and Instagram the day of the series' spring
return followed by weekly installments. EMERGE will continue the
story of longtime EMPIRE characters, A&R executive Becky Williams (Gabourey Sibide) and Porsha
(Ta'Rhonda Jones), as they search for the most promising artist to
be featured on Jamal's upcoming musical tribute. "The Sound Drop"
from Pepsi will be introduced into the storyline with Sound
Drop artists Tinashe and Jidenna, who will play themselves, as
a testament to life truly imitating art.
Mini-Cans
In celebration of this year's storyline,
Pepsi will be releasing limited-edition EMPIRE 7.5 oz. mini-cans
which will display unique artwork inspired by the show's themes by
EMPIRE artist Jon Moody. The six
limited-edition collectable cans will be available in April. Using
Shazam, fans can use their phones to scan the cans' artwork to
unlock exclusive behind-the-scenes footage captured from the set of
the musical tribute shoot.
EMPIRE Musical Tribute
Pepsi will close the season
three storyline with Jamal's first-ever musical tribute which will
launch in May. The visual representation of the musical tribute,
entitled When Cookie Met Lucious, feat. Jamal, will launch
at the season's end in conjunction with its on-screen unveil. Fans
will be directed to Shazam during a May episode, allowing them to
stream the entire musical tribute via their mobile device. The
visual and musical tribute will also feature Jon Moody's mini-can artwork and songs by
character Jamal Lyon, heard
throughout season two and three.
Stay tuned for more news from Pepsi and join the EMPIRE
conversation at www.fox.com/empire or follow Pepsi on Facebook or
add Pepsi on Instagram or Twitter. Tune into the spring return of
season three on FOX on Wednesday, March
22 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).
About PepsiCo:
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by
consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and
territories around the world. PepsiCo generated approximately
$63 billion in net revenue in 2016,
driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes
Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's
product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and
beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail
sales.
At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our
fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably
linked to the sustainability of the world around. We believe that
continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly
to protect our planet and empowering people around the world is
what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that
creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more
information, visit www.pepsico.com.
About EMPIRE:
From Imagine Television in association
with 20th Century Fox Television, EMPIRE was created by
Academy Award nominee Lee Daniels
and Emmy Award winner Danny Strong,
and is executive-produced by Daniels, Strong, Academy Award- and
Emmy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer, Ilene Chaiken, Francie
Calfo and Sanaa Hamri. "Like" EMPIRE on Facebook at
facebook.com/EmpireFOX. Follow the series on Twitter @EmpireFOX and
join the discussion using #Empire. See photos and videos on
Instagram by following @EmpireFOX.
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SOURCE PepsiCo