PepsiMax has unveiled a major marketing campaign across digital and retail channels under its Football Nation global platform ahead of the World Cup.

This is a strategic business move to leverage the current popularity of the upcoming football season to promote the brand’s products and drive sales across retailers.

The brand has released special-edition football cans which feature thermochromic technology that turns the ink on the cans blue at 8°C.

Pepsi designed 150,000 limited-edition variants featuring the temperature-activated ink, and fans who find them will have a chance to win exclusive prizes.

Some of the prizes include £5,000 cash towards home entertainment equipment, football tickets, merchandise and vouchers.

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There are 86m football-themed cans which have rolled out nationwide from the beginning of June and are available at major grocery retailers across the UK.

The cans are available in 18-pack multipacks and 24-pack multipacks for a recommended retail price of £11.99 and £15.29, respectively.

Additionally, the brand launched a digital tool to engage fans across news and social media platforms with a web extension.

The extension replaces the word “soccer” with “football” across the internet, which ensures that fans see the game referenced in localised language.

This marketing strategy aims to combine global activations with localised, digitally innovative consumer content.

Pepsi’s latest campaign comes as several FMCG brands are tapping into the football season to create campaigns and promotions to boost brand awareness over the summer.