Pepsi Uses The Rolling Stones To Throw Shade At Coke

Pepsi is throwing some shade at rival soda brand Coca-Cola in its Super Bowl spot.

In the ad, which highlights the newly relaunched Pepsi Zero Sugar, Missy Elliott and H.E.R. perform a cover of the Rolling Stones’ Paint It Black. The ad is also produced by Timbaland, with choreography from Sean Bankhead.

When the ad opens, H.E.R. stands in a crowd of people clad in red, against a backdrop featuring Coca-Cola’s famous wave symbol, holding a can that says “Cola” in Coca-Cola’s signature typeface. She sings about wanting to paint a red door black, and the can in her hand transforms into a can of Pepsi Zero Sugar. From there, the red backdrop fades away into a world of black, which the brand calls “an energetic place of bold, unapologetic fun.” There, H.E.R. is joined by Missy Elliott, and the pair end on a duet.

The spot, of course, puts Pepsi Zero Sugar in the spotlight, but in particular the focus is on the product’s new matte black can. According to a statement from Pepsi, the ad was inspired by “Missy Elliott music videos and past iconic Pepsi spots with some of music’s biggest stars.”


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