Behind Pepsi's Campaign To Become Cool Again

Pepsi's music campaign (featuring Michael Jackson and Nicki Minaj) hit the airwaves last week, and while most people may still be like, "Nope, Coca-Cola all the way," the brand managers think they'll be able to change that.

Ad Age went behind the scenes to Pepsi's "Beverage Lab," where they've discovered that "Coke is timeless. Pepsi is timely."

So what does this mean? Ad Age says that Pepsi's research shows "Coke... represents happiness and moments of joy, while it protects culture and maintains the status quo. Pepsi, on the other hand, creates culture and embraces individuality. For Pepsi loyalists, leading an exciting life is much more important than leading a happy one."

This apparently is the thought behind the brand streaming concerts and launching Pepsi Pulse, a sort of marketing/pop-culture news hybrid. Perhaps they're hoping eventually you'll associate Pepsi with all the celebrities you want to be? Oh wait, that's every marketing tactic.

Watch Nicki Minaj's "Moment 4 Life" ad for Pepsi, below.