Snapshot

The Daily Mirror provided a central plank for Pepsi's re-branding campaign, with 600 tonnes of blue newsprint being shipped in from Finland for the Daily Mirror to be printed onto on 2 April 1996. The newspaper also gave away a free can of Pepsi to every reader and ran a competition to win £50,000.

Media Stunt shows FMCG companies the ability of newspapers to break new ground

Pepsi's challenge was for the newspaper to create a new and impactful way of advertising and promoting their re-branding. The answer not only saw the Daily Mirror instigate a media first with their idea of a blue issue, but also saw them work with Pepsi, Freud Communications and Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO to create the biggest media event the UK had ever seen.

The product launch was also supported by a secret deal with Air France who turned Concorde blue, with two readers of the newspaper winning a supersonic trip from Milan to Madrid. Cindy Crawford, Andre Agassi and Claudia Schiffer were also brought in by Pepsi for the big launch, with each celebrity being presented with their own blue Daily Mirror.

Teaser campaign whets readers appetite before the stunt

Pepsi and the Daily Mirror worked together to develop a teaser campaign in the week before the stunt. Throughout the week the Daily Mirror and its sister title the Daily Record ran images of blue strawberries, blue phone boxes and Little 'blue' Riding Hood, among others.

The day before the launch Zoe Ball agreed to wear only a coat of paint on the front cover and page three. The cheeky stunt helped drive even more anticipation of Pepsi Blue's launch on the 2 April 1996.

80% reach achieved as 'subtlety is thrown to the wind'

Alan Brydon, the media director of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO at the time, said "We were delighted when it was agreed that the Daily Mirror were going to turn blue for the day.

"The campaign was a great deal of fun to produce and on April 2 we ran a double page spread in the Mirror supported by front page branding, but rather than understate the message we threw subtlety to the wind and decided on the big picture, can and all."