Back in the spring of last year, the Jeff Gordon prank that was pulled for Pepsi went viral, but it wasn’t long for skeptics to call it a fake. Among the non-believers was Travis Okulski, Deputy Editor at Jalopnik, who reached out to stuntmen, gathered evidence and was fairly vocal about proving that it wasn’t professional race car driver Jeff Gordon who was behind the wheel.
Now, Pepsi and Gordon have teamed up again to take Okulski on a wild ride, to make sure he knew the stunt was real. Gordon poses as a taxi driver who has Okulski seated as a passenger in the back seat. The car quickly picks up speed, as the disguised driver decided to speed up instead of pulling over once it’s clear he’s being pursued by law enforcement.
After Okulski does a lot of screaming and begging the crazy taxi driver to slow down, Gordon expertly steers the car into a warehouse, decked out with Pepsi party decorations — Okulski was probably very happy to celebrate that he survived the ride in one piece.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Authenticity-validation Pranks
- Brands can create marketing campaigns depicting a close collaboration with experienced professionals, and then prank established skeptics to prove the authenticity of their product.
- Experience-driven Marketing
- Brands can create unique and thrilling experiences for individuals that utilize the product in a creative way to promote brand loyalty.
- Viral Social Media Campaigns
- Companies can design pranks that are exciting and unique to the brand, garnering attention and creating exponential growth through social media shares.
Industries Being Reshaped
- Beverage Industry
- Beverage companies can design exciting and unique marketing campaigns that shock and engage audiences while promoting the brand's authenticity.
- Automotive Industry
- Automotive companies can utilize professional drivers to showcase the speed and performance of their vehicles in a memorable way through experiential marketing.
- Digital Marketing Industry
- Digital marketing companies can create impactful campaigns that aim to break through the clutter and gain attention in an age of constant advertising noise.
