Yearly the Tremendous Bowl provides an unstated competitors to manufacturers: who will make the finest Tremendous Bowl business? Many manufacturers attempt to accomplish this by spending most of their finances on large names, which can lead to among the finest and strangest collaborations between celebrities ever. The 2025 championship matchup between the Eagles and Chiefs noticed the return of Ben Affleck’s Dunkings, joined this time by Casey Affleck, Invoice Belechik, and Jeremy Robust. In the meantime Channing Tatum introduced in Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham Soccer Membership, and rom-com followers noticed the return of When Harry Met Sally met… Sydney Sweeney?
Nonetheless, all of them pale compared to the strongest crew up in Tremendous Bowl advert historical past: Beyonce, Britney Spears, and Pink. It’s a Pepsi advert from 2004 that featured three of the largest feminine music artists of the yr singing Queen’s iconic “We Will Rock You”. It virtually instantly grew to become a cult basic, and it sees a resurgence every time the Tremendous Bowl comes round. It’s arguably Pepsi’s most memorable Tremendous Bowl adverts of all time–solely it by no means truly aired throughout the Tremendous Bowl.
This is likely to be one of the vital widespread mandala results within the U.S. however it’s true. Regardless of spending a fortune on it, Yahoo Leisure reported the advert was yanked by Pepsi executives saying it wouldn’t carry out nicely with U.S. audiences.
What a loopy assertion to make given its premise and the lengths they went to shoot the advert. The forged and crew have been all flown out to Rome to movie a Gladiator model video, impressed by Ridley Scott’s 2000 Oscar successful movie that includes Russell Crowe. Within the video, the ladies discover themselves dressed head to toe in gladiator gear, compelled to combat per the command of Emperor Enrique Iglesias.
As a substitute, they band collectively in a show of feminine solidarity and sing as the group stomps and claps, shaking the stadium so onerous Iglesias and his cooler of Pepsi fall to the ground. The Latin music artist is subsequently fed to the lions as Beyonce, Pink, and Britney Spears have fun by cracking open a chilly Pepsi.
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Queen’s Brian Might and Roger Taylor even organized a brand new model of their hit anthem for the pop stars to sing, and appeared within the Colosseum crowd themselves. Not airing this advertising masterpiece was the largest fumble of Tremendous Bowl XXXVIII, and it didn’t even occur throughout the sport.
It’s clearly a choice that has haunted Pepsi ever since, and for the NFL’s 2024 Kickoff, they determined to try to recreate the magic a decade after the unique. With Ridley Scott set to launch Gladiator II later that fall, Pepsi additionally returned to the Colosseum, this time joined by Megan Thee Stallion, who sarcastically carried out her hit track “Queen”. One other homage to the unique business? I believe sure.
Within the video, the Grammy award-winning rapper watches as NFL stars Travis Kelce, Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, and Justin Jefferson defeat a pack of Tigers. It even featured plenty of popular culture references together with the viral development “fascinated with the Roman Empire,” and the riff from “We Will Rock You.” Sadly, like its cinematic counterpart, the sequel fell just a little brief in comparison with the unique, however each Gladiator II and the 2024 business have been nonetheless appreciated by followers.
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Pepsi didn’t air a business throughout probably the most watched occasion on the 2025 TV schedule, nor did they launch one final yr. As a substitute, they introduced the revival of their 1975 cross-country Pepsi Problem. Having additionally ceded the Tremendous Bowl Halftime Present to Apple in 2023, this basic soda model’s presence has been missing after 2 many years of iconic appearances throughout the largest day of the yr for community TV.
So right here’s my proposal Pepsi: to reclaim your Tremendous Bowl fame and the unusual historical past behind this “Gladiator” business, it is advisable as soon as once more assemble Britney Spears, Pink, and Beyonce for subsequent yr’s business, impressed by regardless of the largest film releases on the 2025 film schedule. It can immediately turn into one other iconic popular culture second, however don’t overlook to really air it this time!