Pepsi sets Malaysian Record

Malaysia - Riding the wave of Euro 2008, Pepsi has launched an outdoor initiative "The Pepsi Longest Football Dribble" to firm up its position in the football world.

Covering an 80-kilometre stretch across Kuala Lumpur, the goal was to create a first-time national record and earn a place in the Malaysian Book of Records for the longest dribbling feat.

"The client didn't have a big budget for this campaign. And spending it on even one print ad would have blown the funds completely. So we needed an idea that not only carried a lot of mileage but also the opportunity to be even bigger than what Pepsi had bargained for," Ronald Ng, executive creative director of BBDO Proximity, said.

The challenge attracted almost a thousand volunteers and celebrities who signed up to manoeuvre a football over a 100-metre stretch before passing it on to the next dribbler. Some of the famous faces include Faizal Tahir, Phat Fabes, and Lavin Seow.

The event also prompted various members of the public to sign up for the dribbling chain, including a caped superhero and a toddler. 

"We're really flattered with all the effort. We really appreciate all the work they put into it for that five minutes of fame. It made great publicity for Pepsi," Ng said.