For companies looking to showcase their marketing campaigns, the UEFA Champions League has always been a top spot. Before the kick-off of the 2024 UEFA Champions League Final on 1 June, Pepsi Zero Sugar started a 3-hour livestream to help energise fans since the game started at 3am CST (China Standard Time).
Pepsi Zero Sugar set up livestreaming rooms on Douyin (China’s TikTok), Weibo (China’s Twitter-like platform), and WeChat Live. Participants who watched as the brand built a stadium with 10,000 cans of Pepsi Zero Sugar were in with a chance to win tickets to the 2025 UEFA Champions League Final. According to data, over 2 million people tuned-in.
With its “Refreshing is not afraid to stay up late” marketing approach, Pepsi Zero Sugar’s Weibo hashtag #Pepsi Zero Sugar# accumulated 1.73 billion views. Inspired by supporters who stayed up late to view the match, the livestream featured football pundits. There was Pepsi Zero Sugar, fried chicken, crayfish, and other late-night snacks on the table. The hosts seemed to enjoy the food and drinks while discussing football, giving viewers a sense of being part of the real event. The hosts were also in contact with offline late-night snack stores in Chengdu during the livestream, enhancing the immersive experience through live interactions.
By building a “Wembley Stadium” using 10,000 Pepsi Zero Sugar cans during the three-hour livestream and the lucky draw to win UEFA Champions League tickets, the stunt attracted viewers’ attention, alongside interactive activities including “guess the time of construction” to boost user engagement. With the 618-shopping festival around the corner, Pepsi Zero Sugar invited consumers to buy 24 cans of Pepsi Zero Sugar from its official website before going live. This is a way to not only drive product sales, but also create goodwill and draw viewers to the livestream.
The soft drink manufacturer’s late-night livestreaming campaign cleverly capitalised on the unique timing of the UEFA Champions League final, targeting the ‘Evening Economy’ of young people. Young consumers, used to staying up late, seek brands that fulfill their night-time needs. Whether it’s midnight snacks or engaging in interactive games, Pepsi Zero Sugar effectively addresses the emotional and experiential needs of young people.
As the UEFA Champions League beer category sponsor, Heineken also targeted fans staying up late to watch the final, promoting the slogan ‘UEFA Champions League, Heineken is with you’, contributing to the Weibo hashtag #UEFA Champions League Final#. This topic gained 3.04 billion views and topped the Hot Search list for a while.
