A good idea can happen at any time, and given the right circumstances, can change everything. Imagine if people across the U.S. had just one idea to make the world better. Now imagine if they had the means to bring their ideas to life. The Pepsi Refresh Project (PRP) was created to do just that.

Our team worked with Pepsi and agency partners to launch this effort, in which Pepsi gave away $20 million in 2010 to fund grants that improve communities. Our team was tasked with building awareness around the PRP, driving participation in the program and generating online conversation. Through 2010, we told story of the PRP through media, engaging program ambassadors, partners and celebrities, through digital outreach and by driving users to engage with the campaign online, whether submitting ideas or voting for and promoting their favourites as well as engaging on social media channels. The PRP was incredibly successful in its first year, surpassing objectives set at the outset and engaging millions of Americans to refresh the world.

Before the launch, we published Op-Ed from CMO on HuffingtonPost demonstrating public’s belief in the power of ideas to cultivate, celebrate optimism.

For kickoff, CEO/PRP team rang NYSE opening bell for PRP launch. Leveraged celebrity spokespeople for media, in-house and online brainstorm to ignite idea conversation on national scale.Conducted media relations surrounding milestones: Super Bowl, ambassadors, grantees with consistent call-to-action.

Worked with pop-culture influencers to generate grant submissions, working with SXSW and major league sports teams.Collaborated with celebrities to inspire youth to develop ideas; Refresh Cafes at SXSW and around the country sparked ideation/conversation.Hosted discussion with philanthropy influencers; speaking opportunities for PRP team garnered support with business leaders, changemakers.

Positioned RefreshEverything.com as premiere resource for consumer-generated ideas and monitored conversation, provided real-time responses, fostered dialogue, engaged key voices in digital space.Adapted the program around Gulf oil spill; doubled monthly commitment to support ideas that refreshed Gulf communities.

Objective 1: Raise awareness and interest in PRP - Pepsi became one of the most talked-about brands at Super Bowl despite not advertising (Nielsen)- 33% of Americans now aware versus 11-20% for similar cause marketing programs (Marketing Evolutions)- Correct PRP knowledge is 22% (versus 7 – 9%)Objective 2: Drive Americans to RefreshEverything.com - 17M unique visitors to RefreshEverything.com- 9,000 projects received votes - 3.8M million Americans voted for ideas- 84 million votes cast at RefreshEverything.com Objective 3: Generate steady stream of media buzz - Surpassed media impressions goal by nearly 12-fold - 3.2 billion impressions - Over 52,000 Twitter followers, Facebook "likes" increased 10X (300,000 to over 3 million)- Interaction with refresheverything.com significantly increased brand attributes including favourability, intent, and trust along with intent to purchase among Millennials (Dynamic Logic).