While the CGS followed the CPL’s lead and closed its doors today, MLG continues to move forward in their quest to legitimize pro gaming for the general populace. That just became a whole lot easier, all thanks to a certain unaccredited doctor.
Dr Pepper has announced that for the first time ever, it’s going to feature a professional video game player on its bottles: MLG’s Halo 3 player Tom Taylor (who goes by the handle Tsquared). The cola company has long been a sponsor of MLG and its ads are featured prominently at all MLG events, but this newest promotion is more than just an at-event one, as 80% of the Dr Pepper and Diet Dr Pepper 20 oz bottles sold in the US from January-April 2009 will feature Taylor’s smug mug on them.
Oddly enough, this campaign will go further than any non-virtual sports-related campaign Dr Pepper has ever conducted. While they have promoted teams like the Dallas Cowboys on their bottles before, those have always been in limited area releases. (Like in Dallas.) That makes this not only the first time a professional gamer will grace a major label, but also the first national sports promotion in Dr Pepper’s history.
Despite the new advertising deal and his sudden celebrity, Tom still doesn’t see himself on par with other people who have been the stars of national advertising campaigns in the past. “It’s not like I’m Tom Cruise or Usher walking down the street or anything like that, but it’s gotten to the point where you have to look your best when you go out,” he said. “I carry a Sharpie around, like Peyton Manning,”
I’m not sure how often he’s had to bust out the Sharpie outside of MLG events, but now that he’s going to be the poster child of 175 million bottles of Dr Pepper I’m sure a few more people are going to stop him on the street and ask him for his autograph -– even if it’s just because they think he’s “that Dr Pepper guy.”
Leave a Reply