From a Linkin Park-led kick-off show to multiple activations for its brands like Gatorade, Lay’s, and Doritos, PepsiCo showed out at this year’s Champions League.
The UEFA Champions League final isn’t just a match — it’s the defining moment of the soccer season. The two best teams in European football collide on the pitch in hopes of entering history books, but real insiders know the magic doesn’t stop at the final whistle. This year, PepsiCo flipped the script on what it means to show up for the game, delivering boundary-pushing hospitality experiences that prove it doesn’t just understand the love of football; it owns the space where sport, spectacle, and lifestyle meet.
Over the weekend in Munich, fans got a real feeling of just how seriously PepsiCo takes its activation duties. From the moment you touch down, it’s apparent the PepsiCo footprint is all over the lively city. Imagery with A-list faces in football adorns billboards and buildings, emphasizing its global impact. Adam Warner, PepsiCo’s Vice President Global Sports & Entertainment Partnerships, told Boardroom that he and his team spent months meticulously tailoring experiences for every age group and demographic, recognizing that the person who might snack on Lay’s chips every day might not be the same individual relying on the electrolyte properties of a Gatorade thirst quencher.
Yes, the company pulled out all the stops this year for its most loyal fans and trusted media members. Celebrating the 10th year of some of the company’s most popular brands — such as the aforementioned Gatorade and Lay’s, as well as Doritos and, of course, Pepsi — as part of the Champions League experience, this milestone presented an easy task: Capitalizing on the past decade of monumental growth while also setting themselves up for continued success in the years ahead.
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Gatorade’s Commitment to the Game’s Next Era
If you watched even one match in the lead-up to the Champions League final, you’d notice that PepsiCo has a significant pull when it comes to advertising space. Its global football platform, “No Lay’s, No Game,” and campaigns like “Chip Cam” and the “Lay’s Pub Crawl” served as a playful pursuit to find soccer’s most overzealous fans. Icons of the sport, such as Thierry Henry, David Beckham, Lionel Messi, and Alexia Putellas, added that star factor to various rollouts, reminding fans that their favorite athletes still enjoy a salty treat every now and then.
Speaking of legends in the game, PepsiCo’s annual 5v5 competition saw boys and girls ages 14–16 showcase their skills in front of more footy royalty. The event featured greats like Cesc Fà bregas, Robert Pires, Claude Makélélé, and Cafu watching teams from North America, Latin America, Asia, and Europe compete in a world-class tournament in the German capital. Brazil bested Canada to claim bragging rights for the men, while Mexico showed their prowess over Canada to claim victory for the women. The prize is something everyone would be delighted to receive: tickets to that evening’s final match against Inter Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
“We’re seeing future legends of the sport just on the pitch right now,” Makélélé, a 2001-02 Champions League winner with Real Madrid, told Boardroom during the final. “Football is nice because you can play anywhere and it’s for everyone. Gatorade is making it easier for the younger generation to train with some of the best to have played, because where else can you get this kind of experience?”
“It really begins right here,” added Pires, who is regarded by many to be one of the best wingers in soccer history, a two-time Premier League champion with Arsenal and a World Cup winner with France. “We can’t hope for advancement in soccer if we don’t do our best to be the example for others. PepsiCo is helping to bring increased visibility to these young players; the world will eventually meet.”
Next-Level Hospitality, Fueled by Flavor and Football
Its pre-match hospitality experience reflected the true joy of entering the mind of a culinary expert at PepsiCo. Nacho cheese-flavored Doritos were dressed up with spicy Korean BBQ flavors, while the traditional Spanish omelette received a makeover with the addition of flaky Lay’s chips. Plates draw inspiration from local football culture, highlighting the creativity and versatility of PepsiCo’s food and drink brands while also elevating the standard stadium offerings. The Doritos Loaded features the chips layered with Flamin’ Hot Chicken and Pulled Beef. When in Munich, currywurst and pickled vegetables are a must, and on top of Lay’s for the pièce de résistance.
(Images courtesy of PepsiCo)
Once inside the overwhelming Allianz Arena, home of the 34-time Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich, there were more surprises from PepsiCo to solidify its status as one of the most versatile sponsors in football: a pre-match concert by the new-look Linkin Park. Entertainment before the main event always sets the stage for what audiences can expect, and the rock band, in front of 75,000-plus, did not disappoint.
But are we surprised? One can trust PepsiCo to be at the epicenter of the music. After all, it sponsored the Super Bowl halftime show for a decade through 2022, ending its reign with an epic performance by Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, Eminem, and 50 Cent.
When the Champions League kickoff whistle chirped, it almost reflected a closing for PepsiCo on what it had accomplished all season. From inception to reality, the company relied on its in-depth knowledge of the game, close-knit relationships with top athletes to represent them at all touchpoints throughout the season, and listened to consumers on how to diversify the offerings across the busy three-day stretch in Munich.
Once the final horn sounded with PSG joining other elite European clubs with its first Champions League title after thumping Inter Milan 5-0, the PepsiCo team breathed a collective sigh of relief that everything went according to plan. For the Inter loyalists who were hoping for the team’s fourth title and first in 15 years, and for those avoiding the reality that the 2024-25 season is officially complete, PepsiCo helped soften the blow with post-match offerings in that same larger-than-life hospitality complex.
PepsiCo’s strategic partnership with UEFA isn’t limited to how they can impress with entertainment, food, or hospitality. Rather, it serves as a reminder that there are multiple avenues to attract a fan base, and the results justify the investment.
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