"Our last ad of all time"..{.Big mistake or smart business decision?)

@sulsisels (1685)
United States
September 29, 2009 11:49am CST
As we speak, billboards are going up across the country displaying the above ad from Pepsi Cola. If you haven't already heard, effective immediately Pepsi will cease all advertising. It seems that CEO Indra Nooyl has made the final decision and states that high budget ad campaigns,merchandising and Super Bowl extravaganzas have been a big mistake. She says that "We know its good and thats good enough and if I'm happy at the end of the day than thats all that matters. She feels that to pay rock stars or high priced movie stars is just a waste of money as "They are just people and who really cares what they like to drink?" She follows to say that they will simply "rely on word of mouth" from this point on. The 1.3 billion dollar advertising budget will now go into pepsi bank accounts, be spread among charitable orginazations and go to minimum wage factory employees. While I'm sure the factory people are thrilled with this, I have to wonder how much of a "raise" she will enjoy..When asked by reporters how she expects to compete with the #1 Coca Cola, she responds with "Vying for the greatest market share shouldn't be a soft drink companys be all-end all." I don't know about you guys, but I went to school and majored in marketing and market share is what it is all about...Have things changed that much since I graduated?? I don't think so. Personally, I think this is a huge mistake for Pepsi as the old adage "out of sight, out of mind" comes into play here dosen't it? What are your feelings about Pepsis decision, big mistake, or smart business move?? Think I'll go get a coke now...
1 response
@Faye12 (67)
• United States
29 Sep 09
I like the idea that we don't need celbrities to tell us what to buy and that a large company has said it. That being said I think for a company as large as pepsi this could be a good move. They are highly established and thier products are pretty much everywhere. If this were a small or developing company, I would have to say that it was a bad move, out of sight out of mind would definatly apply, but pepsi isn't going anywhere.