So why Rochester?
During the sweepstakes period — Nov. 26 to Dec. 27 — local participants submitted a photo or video, along with a brief description, showing excitement for the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show. Each entrant was allowed up to five submissions per day during the sweepstakes period.
The submissions were judged by an independent panel based on originality and creativity; embodiment of the "Hyped for Halftime" campaign; total hometown participation; and public voting. Rochester submitted 509 entries.
"Rochester beat out everyone else by a long shot just by the sheer number of submissions," said Tucciarone.
The photos showed groups of people out at parties, or in their pajamas, posing with Pepsi products. Some went as far as getting pets involved, painting their faces or dressing up as Katy Perry.
As part of last year's campaign to create a buzz for the halftime show, Pepsi hosted a surprise Lee Brice pop-up concert in the small village of Milligan, Nebraska. Village Clerk/Treasurer Crystal Vavra said the village was given 24 hours of advance notice to prepare for the massive party the following day.
Vavra said nearly 5,000 people flooded the 285-person village's two-block Main Street to participate in the festivities on a bitterly cold Friday in early January 2014.
"People came from all over — the surrounding towns, Kansas, Iowa," she said with a laugh. "It was quite the deal!"
Vavra did not get specific about how much the event cost the village, but she said Pepsi reimbursed the village of Milligan in full.
"It was a good experience, I'd say," said Vavra. "It put us on the map.