Pepsi's recent announcement that it would not advertise its soft drink during this year's Super Bowl shocked and no doubt rankled a few nerves at ad agencies and broadcasters alike. As risky as it might seem to give up 100 million viewers and a 23-year history with the big game, the bigger shock is that more marketers haven't followed its lead.
Big event and sports partnerships certainly raise brand awareness and create temporary buzz, but so do much cheaper YouTube ...