2004 Pepsi Gladiator ad ft Beyonce, Britney Spears and Pink Rock

In the early 2000s, Pepsi brought a larger-than-life spectacle to screens with its now-iconic “Gladiator” commercial. Set in the grandeur of the Roman Coliseum, the 2004 Pepsi Gladiator ad featured a gladiatorial battle—though not quite what you’d expect. As the crowd of 50,000 roared in anticipation, three female gladiators, portrayed by Beyoncé, Britney Spears, and Pink, entered the arena. But instead of clashing in battle, the warriors stunned the crowd by refusing to fight. Instead, they cracked open bottles of Pepsi, united in a rebellious act, and broke into a powerful rendition of Queen’s “We Will Rock You.”

BBDO Paris teamed up with Radical Media to produce this epic 2004 Pepsi Gladiator ad directed by Tarsem. Only the first five rows of the Coliseum were built and populated with real extras; the rest of the 50,000-strong crowd and the sprawling Coliseum were created using CGI.