Click on This Pepsi Ad to Change the Plot

What's This?

By Todd Wasserman2014-04-03 05:00:14 UTC

With the World Cup just two months away, Pepsi has released a new ad that celebrates Rio and the game of soccer with a few interactive detours that gives the viewer control over the narrative.

There are 11 instances in the video in which a user's cursor turns into a symbol. Click on it and the video launches into a vignette that you wouldn't see otherwise. For instance, at one point there's a cameo from soccer superstar Lionel Messi, who is shown reading a newspaper. At that point, the cursor turns into a newspaper. If you click, then there's a scene where a crowd discovers Messi and descends on him.

See also: 10 Incredible Interactive YouTube Videos

However if you don't click, then the scene moves on quickly and Messi picks up the paper and reads it again.

Some other extended scenes in the video:

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  An impromptu Samba dance party

  
  


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  A signed ball from Sergio Ramos that includes your name (which you're prompted to provide.)

  
  


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  An extended performance of the David Bowie song Heroes by Janelle Monáe.

  
  

Though the spot is set in Rio and is full of soccer icons, it makes no mention of the World Cup. That's because Pepsi isn't an official sponsor. Arch-rival Coca-Cola is though. Coke this week released a serious of documentary-style films featuring people around the world underscoring the power of soccer to bring the world together:

Topics: Advertising, Business, coca cola, Pepsi, Sports, world cup 2014