Dr Pepper for the third straight year will use fictional concessions vendor Larry Culpepper as the face of its "annual college football pitch, anchoring a multi-platform ad campaign" across national TV, social media and print, according to Anthony Crupi of AD AGE. The character will be "featured in 10 new TV spots that are set to air throughout the season" and on into January's CFP. The first, a 30-second spot, "began airing on Aug. 22." In the first five days since it premiered, the spot "aired 284 times on football-friendly venues like SEC Network, ESPNU, CBS Sports Network and Big Ten Network." The initial spot "depicts Larry as he straps in for his season-long tailgate/road show." The first eight spots "will form an extended narrative that will culminate in a final pair of new ads set to air exclusively during ESPN's Jan. 9 presentation" of the CFP National Championship. Dr Pepper Senior VP/Brand Marketing, Sponsorships, Travel & Event Services Jaxie Alt said that the new spots "will primarily air on ESPN, ABC, CBS and Fox." Among the digital aspects of the campaign are a "sponsored Snapchat lens that allows users to virtually don Larry's signature flip-up shades and visor, and a Facebook Live video that will stream live" from Saturday's USC-Alabama game (ADAGE.com, 8/29). SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL's Michael Smith notes Culpepper, previously a solo act, will "share the camera a little more this season with an array of college football luminaries," including former coach Steve Spurrier, Pro Football HOFer Marcus Allen, Texans DT Vince Wilfork and Bills QB Cardale Jones. ESPN personalities Jesse Palmer and Joe Tessitore "will also make appearances" (SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/29 issue).
