Superstar Strategy
Beyoncé the businesswoman: Pop star goes big with $50 million Pepsi endorsement
Houston-raised pop superstar Beyoncé has signed on with Pepsi for a multiyear, $50 million advertising deal, which the iconic soda company calls one of the "most innovative global partnerships ever seen — or heard — between a brand and a musician."
As the New York Times reports, the details on the hybrid project are still unclear but already prove to be a far cry from your average print-and-TV-spot contract.
As part of the deal, Pepsi will campaign for the pop star's new album, due out in 2013, and support creative projects of her choice (which could include such things as live events, music videos and photo shoots that may or may not have any connection to Pepsi products).
It's meant to look less like a celebrity endorsement and more like an artist-patron relationship.
Not unlike the new HBO documentary about her that she's directing and executive producing, it looks like this deal will also preserve Beyoncé's control over her image.
"Pepsi embraces creativity and understands that artists evolve," Beyoncé said in a statement. "As a businesswoman, this allows me to work with a lifestyle brand with no compromise and without sacrificing my creativity."
For her part, Bey's mug will appear on a limited-edition run of soda cans, and she will star in a global TV ad campaign, which is meant to look less like a celebrity endorsement and more like an artist-patron relationship.
Forbes notes that Beyoncé may have had some guidance from husband Jay-Z, who struck a similar deal with Anheuser Busch for its Bud Select in 2006. In that partnership, the rapper would "participate in Budweiser Select planning sessions to provide his unique spin, thoughts and insights on various brand products."
The collaboration comes to life during the Super Bowl halftime on February 3 during a performance by Beyoncé — also sponsored by Pepsi. Limited-edition cans are expected to debut in Europe in March 2013.