From Film to Field: Making ‘Field of Dreams’ a Reality

‘Field of Dreams’ is one of America’s most iconic baseball films. Made in 1989, the film has sparked our imaginations since it was released.  On May 18, 2013, Populous, Pepsi Max and Major League Baseball joined together to recreate an experience loosely based on the iconic film on the field for one lucky contest winner, his friends and more than 14,000 spectators. Held at Frontier Field in Rochester, NY, this year’s Pepsi Max Field of Dreams game allowed Johnny Perotti, an avid baseball fan, and his family and friends to play alongside some of MLB’s legends, in an ode to the movie. Perotti joined forces with Hall of Famers and future Hall of Famers Trevor Hoffman, Wade Boggs, Rickey Henderson, Reggie Jackson, Frank Thomas, Johnny Bench, Fred McGriff, Mike Schmidt, Ozzie Smith and Pedro Martinez.

The Pepsi Max Field of Dreams game is a testament to the power of brand activation, live events and sports. This combination allows fans to be active participants in a sport they love and engage with a brand (in this case, Pepsi Max) building their brand presence in MLB and public good will. The continued success of the event in its second year is an indicator that brands benefit from combining an understanding of consumer’s interests with a big idea and activating across multiple platforms. Pepsi did just that and Populous was proud to be involved as the producer of the event.  From initial concept creation to the development and delivery of the actual event, Populous immensely enjoyed being a part of the event again in 2013. The impact of the game was clear- it was the 2^nd largest gathering of Hall of Famers ever and the 2^nd largest event to be held in Frontier Field’s history. Fans and players alike were a part of something special.