Will.i.am from the Black Eyed Peas is joining Pepsi and LMFAO to produce a user-generated video and music track that will be available to consumers in December 2009.

“It could be the sound of a bouncing basketball or a honking horn during rush hour traffic, everything I see and hear on a daily basis inspires the music I make,” said Will.i.am. “I can’t wait to get into the studio to produce this huge music collaboration and showcase the talents of people around the country.”

Pepsi’s “Ultimate Refresh” is introducing a new, digital mixing player that creates video mash-ups by combining three original music clips plus a performance by LMFAO selected by the user to produce a unique two minute collaborative video that will be featured on www.ultimaterefresh.com. Music lovers are encouraged to produce their own version of LMFAO’s “La La La,” showcasing one of four talents: vocals, melody, chords or percussion.

“This new generation of music fans is looking for more opportunities to become active participants in creating and sharing the music they love,” said Frank Cooper, CMO of portfolio brands, Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages. “The Pepsi ‘Ultimate Refresh’ offers that unique chance for them to become creators by using a new digital tool that we believe will change the way we interact with music today.”

Reality Digital, a leader of digital media solutions for global brands and their agencies, developed the new QuadMasher™ application specifically for Pepsi’s “Ultimate Refresh” campaign. Built on the Reality Digital Opus™ social media platform, the QuadMasher enables users to mash four separate videos into a single quad-panel video, syncing user generated and professionally produced content together. The implementation also includes the Adobe® Premiere Express Service add-on which allows users to remix video clips and add effects to their online creations.

“Pepsi has proven one of the most creative companies with which we’ve ever worked,” said Mitchell Linden, SVP Strategy, Reality Digital. “Marrying their innovative spirit with our social media technology expertise on Pepsi’s QuadMasher allowed us to create a unique application that allows Pepsi to connect with their customers and enables users to collaborate with LMFAO and Will.i.am at a level never before experienced on the Web.”

Videos uploaded on ultimaterefresh.com will be reviewed by Will.i.am, who will produce a final song and video incorporating his favorite user-generated content into a remixed version of LMFAO’s “La La La” track, creating the ultimate music collaboration. The final collaborated track and video will be revealed and available for free download in early December 2009.
Will.i.am performed Bob Dylan’s “Forever Young” to a visual collage of iconic images celebrating generations past and present in a Pepsi commercial that aired during Super Bowl XLIII.

Pepsi’s music marketing agencies, The RPM Group and Las Vegas-based MEGA, INC., were instrumental in developing the promotional concepts and partnerships with the musical artists… read less