PEPSI LAUNCHES ITS FIRST AD SPOTLIGHTING HBCU BAND CULTURE

Following Hampton University’s debut at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, thanks to a donation from Pepsi’s Stronger Together initiative, the soft drink company has debuted its first commercial highlighting HBCU band culture.

Pepsi’s first HBCU commercial features top-ranked Florida A&M University (FAMU) and Jackson State University (JSU) marching bands. The 60-second spot, dubbed “The Halftime Game,” spotlights the HBCU band culture during one of the biggest football games of the season.

The ad will air on Dec. 4 on ESPN 2 during this weekend’s much anticipated Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship game. Directed by HBCU alum Alan Ferguson in partnership with Creators League, it features FAMU’s “Marching 100” and JSU’s “Sonic Boom of the South,” showing the electricity and history they bring to game day.