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.

Objective 1: Raise awareness and interest in PRP, position Pepsi as the optimistic catalyst for idea creation with consistency and alignment of program messages.

Objective 2: Drive Americans to RefreshEverything.com to register, submit their ideas or vote for ideas that they care about.• 2010 registration goal – 6 million• 2010 comments goal – 180,000• 2010 voting goal – 12 millionObjective 3: Generate steady stream of national, local and online media buzz to support business and brand goals.• 2010 audience impressions goal – 225 million • 2010 Twitter goal – 786,000 mentions• 2010 Facebook like goal – 200% growth rate over 2009

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).

We worked with Pepsi to create a strong communications plan around the launch of PRP: Create intellectual capital around "where ideas come from," position Pepsi as the motivator to empower people to be the next social entrepreneurs.Cast a national spotlight on ideas that refresh change by announcing the diversion of funds from key initiatives to implement PRP.Collaborate with employees/bottling/retail partners to generate local news, drive awareness and system buy-in.Raise awareness and increase participation at grassroots level through local grant recipients that bring community benefit "home" including outreach and coverage locally through Hispanic and English language press.Promote RefreshEverything.com as the destination for refreshing ideas; encourage individuals to submit ideas and vote for those that they want to see come to life.Encourage online engagement with the Project on Facebook/Twitter.Develop partnerships inherent to Pepsi’s DNA to tell stories of impact.

Though consumers love when their favourite brands support good causes, they want those causes to resonate personally. To empower people and their ideas, the Pepsi Refresh Project (PRP) is awarding more than $20 million in grants in 2010 to support ideas that will make a difference. Pepsi is asking people to step up and share their ideas for improving communities, then letting them decide which of those ideas PRP should move forward. In the process, the public’s long-time relationship with the brand will deepen and become refreshed itself.