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Pepsi “Set Piece” 1995

Pepsi “Set Piece” (1995) is a Pepsi commercial directed by Joe Pytka for BBDO, produced by PYTKA. It won 5 awards, including Cannes Lions 1996 Film Gold, Clio 1996 Silver — Television/Cinema / Beverages/Non-Alcoholic and AICP Show 1996 Honoree Visual Effects.

A basketball player, Shaquille O'Neal, mysteriously leaves a game and appears in various TV shows and commercials, much to the confusion of control room operators, before returning to the game.

Video: PYTKA on Vimeo

Shot by shot

  1. A group of people work in a dark control room, surrounded by dozens of glowing television screens displaying various images and numbers.© Pepsi0:00
  2. A male basketball player in a white jersey with number 32 wipes his face with a towel, seen through a distorted CRT television screen.© Pepsi0:04
  3. A hand holds a glass of Pepsi with ice, next to a cold Pepsi can, on a light background.© Pepsi0:13
  4. Multiple small screens display various video feeds, including a basketball player, a black and white scene, and a color bar test pattern, against a dark background.© Pepsi0:17
  5. A man in a white tank top and shorts runs past penguins on a snowy landscape, displayed on a TV screen among other screens showing various images and countdowns.© Pepsi0:21
  6. Shaquille O'Neal, a tall Black man in a basketball jersey and cowboy hat, smiles and tips his hat in a rural, mountainous setting.© Pepsi0:26
  7. A man in a suit runs alongside a basketball player in a jersey, both smiling, against a blue sky and desert landscape.© Pepsi0:29
  8. A basketball player in a white jersey with the number 32 on the back walks past a news desk where a male and female anchor are seated, looking surprised.© Pepsi0:39
  9. A man with a shaved head and an earring looks right, then the camera pans to a wide shot of a desert landscape with a large rock formation.© Pepsi0:44
  10. An animated Shaquille O'Neal and Woody Woodpecker drive a red vintage car down a winding road in a cartoon landscape.© Pepsi0:47
  11. A split screen shows a black and white clip of a woman in a chef's hat and uniform, and a man in a suit with a headset talking.© Pepsi0:49
  12. A group of people in a control room react with excitement, cheering and raising their hands, as they watch something on screens.© Pepsi0:52

Stills © Pepsi. Made by BBDO, PYTKA and Joe Pytka.

Every shot, full-quality frames and clips, and search across every commercial. Free account.

The idea

Shaquille O'Neal jumps through TV channels, disrupting classic shows and ads.

Tagline: “NOTHING ELSE IS A PEPSI”

meta-commentarycelebrity cameobreaking the fourth wallfish out of waterTV channel surfingunexpected crossover

The cut

Length
60 s
Shots
48
Average shot
1.3 s
Format
mixed

What creatives use Pepsi “Set Piece” for

  1. 01Reference frames for your treatment

    Pitching something with the feel of Pepsi “Set Piece”? A screenshot from a video player won't hold up in a deck.

    Download any frame of this spot at full quality, with its credits, or search every spot for the same look.

    A group of people work in a dark control room, surrounded by dozens of glowing television screens displaying various images and numbers.© PepsiA male basketball player in a white jersey with number 32 wipes his face with a towel, seen through a distorted CRT television screen.© PepsiA hand holds a glass of Pepsi with ice, next to a cold Pepsi can, on a light background.© PepsiMultiple small screens display various video feeds, including a basketball player, a black and white scene, and a color bar test pattern, against a dark background.© Pepsi
    Frames from Pepsi “Set Piece”

  2. 02Shot list example: how it was cut

    You need the structure of a great spot, shot by shot, for your storyboard.

    Every shot of Pepsi “Set Piece” in order, with its length, framing and what happens in it.

    A group of people work in a dark control room, surrounded by dozens of glowing television screens displaying various images and numbers.© PepsiA male basketball player in a white jersey with number 32 wipes his face with a towel, seen through a distorted CRT television screen.© PepsiA hand holds a glass of Pepsi with ice, next to a cold Pepsi can, on a light background.© PepsiMultiple small screens display various video feeds, including a basketball player, a black and white scene, and a color bar test pattern, against a dark background.© PepsiA man in a white tank top and shorts runs past penguins on a snowy landscape, displayed on a TV screen among other screens showing various images and countdowns.© PepsiShaquille O'Neal, a tall Black man in a basketball jersey and cowboy hat, smiles and tips his hat in a rural, mountainous setting.© Pepsi
    Length: 60 s · Shots: 48 · Average shot: 1.3 s · Format: mixed

  3. 03Ad ideas: every spot built on a meta-commentary

    Before you present an idea, you need to know who has done it, and how.

    Pepsi “Set Piece” is built on a meta-commentary. Search the library by idea to see every spot that uses it.

    Uber Eats “A Century of Cravings”© Uber EatsUber Eats + Special US “Football is for Food”© Uber Eats + Special USCeraVe “Michael CeraVe”© CeraVeTubi “Interface Interruption”© Tubi
    Uber Eats · Uber Eats + Special US · CeraVe · Tubi

More commercials by Joe Pytka

More from BBDO

  • Pepsi "Pepsi Super Bowl LX" (2026) commercial still© PepsiPepsi “Pepsi Super Bowl LX” 2026Dir. Taika Waititi · BBDOANDY Awards Gold 2026
  • Budweiser "American Icons" (2026) commercial still© BudweiserBudweiser “American Icons” 2026Dir. Henry-Alex Rubin · BBDOAICP Awards Winner 2026
  • Neutrogena "Neutrogena Remembers" (2026) commercial still© NeutrogenaNeutrogena “Neutrogena Remembers” 2026BBDOEffie Awards Gold 2026
  • OKX Crypto "What is OKX" (2023) commercial still© OKX CryptoOKX Crypto “What is OKX” 2023Dir. Andreas Nilsson · BBDOshots Awards Gold 2023
  • Change the Ref "Manuel & Patricia" (2021) commercial still© Change the RefChange the Ref “Manuel & Patricia” 2021BBDOLondon International Awards Gold 2021
  • Snickers "Grandma" (2019) commercial still© SnickersSnickers “Grandma” 2019Dir. David Shane · BBDOLondon International Awards Gold 2018

Award-winning drinks commercials

  • Sitges - International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia "Chess" (2024) commercial still© Sitges - International Fantastic Film Festival of CataloniaSitges - International Fantastic Film Festival of Catalonia “Chess” 2024Dir. Marc OrtizEurobest Grand Prix 2024
  • Pocari Sweat "Find Your Own Way" (2022) commercial still© Pocari SweatPocari Sweat “Find Your Own Way” 2022Dir. Ken Nakano · Dentsu Inc.AdFest Grand Prix 2022
  • Gatorade "Replay" (2010) commercial still© GatoradeGatorade “Replay” 2010Dir. Kris Belman · TBWA\Chiat\DayANDY Awards 2010
  • Coca-Cola "Coca-Cola TV campaign" (2009) commercial still© Coca-ColaCoca-Cola “Coca-Cola TV campaign” 2009Fortune PromosevenDubai Lynx Grand Prix 2009
  • Dairy Milk "Gorilla" (2008) commercial still© Dairy MilkDairy Milk “Gorilla” 2008Dir. Juan Cabral · FallonD&AD Black Pencil 2008
  • Evian "Waterboy" (2004) commercial still© EvianEvian “Waterboy” 2004Dir. soandsau · BETC Euro RSCGEurobest Grand Prix 2004

Questions

Who directed the Pepsi “Set Piece” commercial?

Joe Pytka directed it, produced by PYTKA, for the agency BBDO.

Which agency made Pepsi “Set Piece”?

BBDO created it for Pepsi (1995).

What awards did Pepsi “Set Piece” win?

5 awards, including Cannes Lions 1996 Film Gold, Clio 1996 Silver — Television/Cinema / Beverages/Non-Alcoholic, AICP Show 1996 Honoree Visual Effects and ANDY Awards 1996 ANDY — Television.

What is the tagline of Pepsi “Set Piece”?

“NOTHING ELSE IS A PEPSI”

Sources for the credits and awards

en.wikipedia.orgaicpawards.comweb.archive.orgweb.archive.orgweb.archive.org