Brand Republic: Pepsi ups marketing stakes with billion-dollar prize show

Pepsi is taking cola wars to a new level by announcing a promotion giving someone the chance to win a billion dollars, as well as launching its own vanilla-flavoured drink to rival Vanilla Coke.

Pepsi will sponsor a new television show called 'Pepsi Play for a Billion', produced by AOL Time Warner's WB Network. A thousand contestants will play for a $1m (£639,500) guaranteed prize. The contestant who wins will then have the chance to play for $1bn without forfeiting the original prize money. Pepsi says that the person will have a one-in-1,000 chance of winning a billion dollars.

Yet another sign that advertainment is on the rise. In my opinion this trend will transform the advertising landscape over the next 5 years. The fun has only just begun.