Pepsi hires teens sued by RIAA for clever Superbowl ad

January 24, 2004

Pepsi has hired some 20 teens accused by the RIAA for
sharing music, to make a plug for a Pepsi and iTunes. Pepsi is going to use the kids to inform 88 million viewers of the Superbowl about their free and legal track giveaway.

Apple and Pepsi-Cola North America announced a promotion recently, to legally give away the songs to Mac and Windows PC users from Apple's iTunes Music Store. Beginning February 1, 100 million winning codes will be randomly seeded in 20 ounce and 1 liter bottles of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi and Sierra Mist, and the winning codes will be redeemable for a free song from the iTunes Music Store. Winners will simply go to Apple's iTunes Music Store, enter the code
found under the bottle cap and choose any 99 cent song from the online store's
catalog. The promotion will run until March 31, 2004.

Pictured below is 14 year old Annie Leigh, in the ad she is identified as one of a "few of the kids sued for downloading music free off the Internet" that they have chosen for the mega-givaway ad campaign. Now you tell me, how in the world can you sue someone with a face like that? Tsk,Tsk I am ashamed RIAA.

Annie Leith, a 14-year-old from Staten Island, appears with other downloaders in the ad, which features music by Green Day. The band cut a special version of the 1966 Bobby Fuller Four hit I Fought the Law for the ad, by BBDO, New York. In the ad, Leith holds a Pepsi and proclaims: "We are still going to download music for free off the Internet." Then the announcer says how: "Announcing the Pepsi iTunes Giveaway."

"It's all in good spirit," says Dave Burwick, chief marketer, Pepsi, North America. "This has been a huge cultural phenomenon. It's highly relevant and topical for consumers. We're turning people to buying music online vs. stealing it online."

Leith, whose favorite artist is Jay-Z, says she no longer makes unauthorized downloads and is excited to appear on the Super Bowl. "I can say I was on TV for something so ridiculous," says Leith, who along with her older sister and younger brother downloaded 950 songs over three years. They settled the lawsuit for $ 3,000, the average according to RIAA. She'll use some of her undisclosed ad fee to help pay for the settlement.

RIAA is all in favor of the ad and the promotion.

"This ad shows how everything has changed," says Mitch Bainwol, RIAA chairman. "Legal downloading is great because fans are supporting the future of creative work in America."

Pretty cool promotion and bound to send the giveaway off to a flying start. Also, kudos to iTunes for hooking up with Pepsi. Let's hope it brings all parties good fortune.

Hey, I have a vote for a new "American Idol" and no it isn't Mitch Brainwol, it's Annie Leigh! Say Pepsi please!

Source: USA Today