PepsiCo?s Dr. Pepper is running mobile video advertisements that let consumers learn more about the brand and connect with social media.

The Dr. Pepper mobile ads are running as in-stream commercials in the Hulu Plus iPhone application. In addition to the tie with social media, the ads also promote a sweepstakes with Marvel's "The Avengers" film.

?Before we get the role [social media] plays in mobile advertising, it's important to note that "Liking? a brand or really anything, doesn't have to take place on Facebook,? said Michael Burke, cofounder and president of appssavvy, New York.

?In this case, Dr. Pepper is leveraging mobile to reach you at a time when you are engaged and have you "Like" the brand from there. This allows them to re-market to you across all platforms, namely Web today but surely more tomorrow,? he said.

Mr. Burke is not affiliated with Dr. Pepper. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Dr. Pepper did not respond to press inquiries.

Refresh on mobile
The Dr. Pepper mobile ads are part of a broader marketing strategy from the company to position the drink as one-of-a-kind.

The video features consumers drinking Dr. Pepper while wearing T-shirts that express their individuality. At the end of the video, the video encourages consumers to connect with the brand on Twitter with the hashtag #ImA.

During the video, consumers have the option to tap to be redirected to Dr. Pepper?s mobile site, where they can learn more about the company?s products.

Additionally, users can enter to win an Xbox360 as part of a sweepstakes with the current film The Avengers.

To enter, consumers can enter codes found underneath Dr. Pepper products online. In order to find out if they are a winner, users must either sign-in with their Dr. Pepper or Facebook account.

Users can also connect with the brand?s Facebook or Twitter accounts to see what others are saying about the brand. With consumers accessing social media consistently on their devices, tying social into a mobile campaign is a smart way for brands to build a longer, one-on-one relationship with consumers.

Mobile sweepstakes
This is not the first time Dr. Pepper has used interactive mobile video ads to drive awareness of the brand.

For example, last year Dr. Pepper worked with Crisp Media for the ?Hunt for the Unbelievable? campaign, which focused more on engagement rather than click-through rates via rich media (see story).

The Dr. Pepper mobile ads not only let consumers learn more about the brand with social media, it also gives users an incentive to interact with the mobile video ad with a sweepstakes.

In Hulu?s case, consumers must watch video ads several times during a full episode. By including a strong incentive for interacting with the video, consumers will be enticed to tap to learn more.

However, if including a sweepstakes into a mobile campaign, it is important to think about what types of information consumers will be willing to enter quickly while on the go.

?Mobile advertising has the biggest upside of all ad mediums because of the ability to engage a consumer at the right time,? Mr. Burke said.

?The challenge and the opportunity is to crack that code of the right time that you are most like to remember, recommend or purchase a brand,? he said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York