Branded entertainment in China is a cluttered space making it ever so difficult to break through and engage. The government reviews all branded content with great scrutiny. And this is more so with international brands. We need to comply with strict policies imposed by the government of China or face penalties.

Our approach focused on the path our consumers followed, we then identified relevant media along it and finally, created relevant content that would keep them engaged.

With the consumer path as our guide, we engaged transit media screens, train & bus stations and internet and mobile screens. We had walk-in movie viewings at train and bus stations entertained them while they waited. Movie posters and trailers drew their attention. There was even a making-of our movie to get conversations started. A movie theme song accompanied tens of millions of travelers on their journey home.

And we walked the talk by lending a helping hand to those were unable to reach their loved ones by creating a social platform that invited people to share their difficult Spring Journey situations, opening up discussions from others to offer solutions and PepsiCo participating in bringing those solutions to life.

With over a billion views we became China’s most watched video in just 7 weeks. Our theme-song music video went viral with 315 million views. Even the Chinese government lauded our efforts in promoting harmony and gave us significant airtime valued at over USD 15 million.

Campaign awareness reached a staggering 86% and Brand Pepsi’s advertising appeal soared to 50% more than the nearest competitor.

Commercial success aside, we also reunited 1000 needy families.