• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, August 13, 2012

With top-line sponsorships of two college football championship games, Dr. Pepper is extending a similar arrangement out West. The beverage marketer has signed a deal to be the official soft drink of the next two Pac-12 title games.

The two-year deal allows for in-store and on-package marketing opportunities and a presence on the field. It also comes with a commitment to buy time on the Pac-12 group of networks, rolling out with a national feed and several regional ones.

Dr. Pepper was a “founding sponsor” of the first Pac-12 title game last year. It has had top-line sponsorships of the SEC and ACC title games, which are ongoing. It also sponsored the Big-12 title game, though that came to a halt in 2011.   

Tony Jacobs, a senior vice president in marketing for the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, stated the Pac-12 relationship is a strong platform for attracting “new consumers in key Western markets and working with our retail partners in new ways that will drive excitement with shoppers.”

The Pac-12 takes a different tack than other conferences with its title game, playing it on the home field of the team with the best conference record instead of a neutral site.