MTV Unplugged Gets New Jolt, Thanks to Pepsi’s Rockstar
variety.comBrian Steinberg Senior TV EditorViacomCBS hopes to revive its “MTV Unplugged” series of acoustic concerts, all with the help of a new energy drink that shares part of its name.PepsiCo’s new Rockstar Unplugged is a different sort of energy beverage, one the company hopes will create good vibes with ingredients like hemp seed oil, B vitamins, spearmint, and lemon balm — and with less caffeine found in other Rockstar offerings.
And to make sure people know about it, Rockstar plans to sponsor three “MTV Unplugged” concerts in 2022, with the first slated to kick off in Los Angeles around the end of the first quarter or start of the second quarter.The new alliance comes after PepsiCo has placed new emphasis on weaving its way into content, no longer satisfied with just running commercials.
In early 2021, Pepsi launched the game show “Cherries Wild” on Fox, a bid to be a bigger part of the content that is the original draw of linear TV.
Pepsi and Fox in 2015 wove the company’s flagship soda into one of the plotlines of the drama “Empire.” More of TV’s biggest sponsors are trying to get out of the business of interrupting programs with ads and instead are doubling their efforts to integrate themselves into actual shows — even if they have to create content themselves.
Read more on variety.com