Pepsi, NFL extend partnership with new anthems campaign

NEW YORK — Pepsi and the National Football League have kicked off a new campaign that brings together musical artists and NFL teams.

The Pepsi NFL Anthems program will bring to life four originally created anthems by Kid Rock, Kelly Clarkson, Ice Cube and Travie McCoy, as well as a remixed version of Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow." The anthems, Pepsi said, were inspired by the artists' passion for their cities and hometown NFL teams. Kid Rock's anthem is in honor of the Detroit Lions; Clarkson's anthem is in honor of the Dallas Cowboys; Ice Cube's anthem is in honor of the Oakland Raiders and McCoy's anthem is in honor of the New York Giants.

The program is an extension of Pepsi's "Live for Now" campaign and comes on the heels of additional partnerships between PepsiCo and the NFL, including a four-year agreement to become the sponsor of the Super Bowl Halftime Show and a multiyear deal to become the official soft drink of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"The synergy of music and sports has never been more prevalent, and the effect that music has on sports culture is never more present than in the NFL," Pepsi's sports marketing director Todd Kaplan said. "The Pepsi NFL Anthems program will help bring the NFL's passionate fan base closer to their teams through an authentic musical experience — whether it's listening to the anthem on your way to the game, or hearing it blast throughout the stadium after a big play."