Propelling the Pepsi Spirit with Mobile Apps

We recently spoke with Chris Epple, senior manager of media strategy at PepsiCo, about the company’s Propel brand of low-calorie flavored water. Here’s a clip from the full interview about the brand’s new mobile app, and how along with product enhancements and various promotions, Pepsi is working to streamline the lives of busy female shoppers (and sell more Propel).

eMarketer: Your mobile app was created for your Propel brand of sports drink as part of a brand relaunch. What is the background on the repositioning?

Chris Epple: Propel initially launched in the mid-1990s. In 2009 we did a complete relaunch involving new flavor profiles, new sweeteners, packaging and a powder business. Propel used to be a sports water with an athletic thrust. Now, we are speaking to the customer as a busy 25- to 49-year-old woman. She does not just go to the gym. It’s about life in motion and the active female planner. Her goal is to get things done and make her day more efficient.

eMarketer: What role does the mobile app play?

Mr. Epple: We created an app that uses Google Maps API. You can plug in all the things you need to do on your iPhone—visits to the dry cleaner, grocery store, liquor store. It then gives you the most convenient driving route for getting where you need to go.

eMarketer: If she visits these stores regularly, why would she need directions?

Mr. Epple: We talked about that. For year one, it is more about the route, but we want to layer on more information. She might not know, for example, about a new manicure-pedicure place. She might not know that the drugstore sells milk.

eMarketer: How does helping women find local businesses promote your brand?

Mr. Epple: It further extends our messaging and supports the brand position. We are trying to communicate that Propel can help make your life more efficient since you are on the go and live on your mobile device. You can streamline your life on a mobile device.

eMarketer: How is the app tied to your Web and other marketing efforts?

Mr. Epple: As we move into the mobile world, we need to think of mobile as part of overall marketing mix. As you’re building efforts, they are one and the same as video or TV.

All our online efforts revolve around streamlining her life. We wanted to speak to her on her terms and be very lightly branded. We have an online version of the same app, and our weekly online newsletter has been very successful. There is a blogger who writes for us—about places to find gift wrap during the holidays, about barbecue ideas during the summer.

We also created a digital banner that identified six categories in our consumer’s life: travel, well-being, food, home, shopping and organize. We built partnerships with 30 Websites based on their ability to streamline the consumer’s life. In travel, for instance, we direct users to Airtreks.com, a planning site for travel. For organize, a site called Mint.com comes up that analyzes spending. The sites are part of our consistent messaging.

eMarketer: Are there any other elements in your media mix?

Mr. Epple: Another piece of the media mix is a site called web.propelled. While it’s not tied to the mobile app, it aids in streamlining our customer’s life by helping find information about the world. There is news, blogs, videos and music. Bubbles come up under each category—there is a larger bubble when there is a larger buzz around that story. This can be downloaded to a desktop.

eMarketer: Is there a coupon element to your mobile app?

Mr. Epple: Mobile couponing is another rich area. At the app level, it is very successful. We expect mobile couponing to become very prevalent for CPGs. But the overall redemption process is still evolving in terms of retailers’ ability to scan mobile coupons. While consumers seem apprehensive about using them, they are more “risk tolerant” if the coupon is for a $1.50 Pepsi product versus something more costly.

The full version of this interview is available here, to eMarketer Total Access subscribers only. Every day they have access to new interviews with digital marketing leaders and trendsetting entrepreneurs.

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