Brief:

• Pepsi is giving people a chance to win a bottle of its new apple pie-flavored cola by sharing pictures and videos of their unsuccessful attempts at baking desserts on social media apps Twitter or TikTok, per an announcement emailed to Mobile Marketer.  
• Pepsi released a short video on its YouTube and Twitter channels to promote the challenge, offering a humorous twist on "hands in pans" cooking videos that are popular on social media. PepsiCo enlisted Shereen Pavlides, Tatayanna Mitchell and Charles Mallet to share videos of their own baking fails on TikTok, where each personality has millions of followers.
• The brand's sweepstakes comes as many Americans try their hand at preparing a Thanksgiving meal for the first time as the pandemic prevents traditional gatherings. To enter the contest, Pepsi is asking people to follow its @Pepsi handle on Twitter or TikTok, and to tag their "baking fail" posts with the #PepsiApplePieChallenge hashtag by Dec. 7. The first 1,500 consumers to enter will be eligible to win a bottle of Pepsi Apple Pie in PepsiCo's redesigned two-liter bottles.

Insight:

Pepsi aims to raise awareness for its limited-edition Pepsi Apple Pie and engage younger audiences with its social media challenge to share "baking fail" videos. "Fail videos" that show people's mishaps have been a popular genre on platforms like YouTube for years, racking up billions of views, and Pepsi can participate in that social sharing with its "Pepsi Apple Pie Challenge." By running a sweepstakes on social media apps like Twitter and TikTok, the brand can engage younger consumers who are less likely to watch traditional media channels like linear TV.

As of the morning of Nov. 19, videos with the #PepsiApplePieChallenge hashtag had been viewed more than 7 million times on TikTok, while its short video had been seen more than 500,000 times on Twitter. By running a hashtag challenge, Pepsi can extend the reach of its campaign as people share the videos with their friends and followers, urging others to participate with their own humorous pictures and videos.

Pepsi also is collaborating with several TikTok personalities who offer a mix of videos that includes cooking-related content. Shereen Pavlides, Tatayanna Mitchell and Charles Mallet have different backgrounds, but have gained a following on TikTok as their videos show up in the app's feed. By collaborating with popular TikTok personalities who feature Pepsi Apple Pie in their videos, Pepsi not only can raise awareness for the product, but also influence the purchase decisions of younger consumers. Almost half (44%) of Generation Z consumers have made a purchase decision based on a recommendation from a social influencer, compared with 26% of the general population, researcher Kantar found in a consumer study.

Social media challenges have become a more popular way to engage younger consumers on their mobile devices in the past few years. Among the brands that have created challenges this month, fast casual chain Chipotle Mexican Grill this week started its "Chipotle Royalty" challenge that urges TikTok users to share their favorite meal combinations for a chance to win cash and see their entries turned into an official menu item on its app and website. Anheuser-Busch InBev's Michelob Ultra beer brand began offering people a chance to star in a TV commercial by joining its "Everyone's A Runner Challenge" on Twitter. Mattress marketer Leesa Sleep asked people to give up the comfort of their beds for one night to raise awareness about hardships faced by many children during the pandemic with its "1 Bedless Night Challenge." 

Pepsi is the latest brand to create a campaign that centers on the theme of making a Thanksgiving meal for the first time as the pandemic dissuades people from traveling and gathering with their families as in the past. Grocery chain Whole Foods and Progressive Insurance this month announced their Turkey Protection Plan to help cover home cooks who have mishaps in the kitchen. The plan offers a post-Thanksgiving $35 gift card in the event of an undercooked, overcooked, burnt or dry turkey on the holiday. Similarly, Campbell Soup is offering Campbell's Dinner Insurance for purchases of ingredients to make side dishes this Thanksgiving in partnership with home-delivery app Instacart. The companies will deliver replacement dishes in Manhattan to people who's home-cooked meals go awry.