Frank Cooper III
Frank Cooper III | |
|---|---|
| Education | Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, University of California at Berkeley; Juris Doctor, Harvard Law School |
| Occupation(s) | Business executive, marketing expert |
| Years active | 1990s–present |
| Known for | Chief Marketing Officer at Visa; former CMO at BlackRock, BuzzFeed, PepsiCo |
Frank Cooper III is a seasoned business leader and expert in branded entertainment, currently holding the position of Chief Marketing Officer at Visa. His previous CMO roles include tenures at BlackRock, BuzzFeed, and as Chief Marketing Officer of Global Consumer Engagement at PepsiCo, Inc.
Career
Cooper holds a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from the University of California at Berkeley and earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School, where he contributed as Supreme Court Editor for the Harvard Law Review.
In 1998, he co-founded Urban Box Office Networks, Inc (UBO), which became the largest online company focusing on urban lifestyle and minority audiences. Prior to UBO, Cooper held senior business affairs positions at influential urban music labels such as Motown Records and Def Jam Recordings. Between 2001 and 2003, he was Vice President of Interactive Marketing at America Online, Inc, where he managed marketing initiatives and sales related to music.
Marketing strategy
During his tenure as CMO of Global Consumer Engagement at PepsiCo, Inc. from 2010 to 2015, Cooper was responsible for shaping brand marketing strategies and executing campaigns across global beverage brands like SoBe and Aquafina. He led efforts in Global Media, Entertainment, and Digital Engagement, prioritizing branded content to connect with consumers through social media platforms and original productions. Cooper played a pivotal role as lead negotiator in renewing PepsiCo’s multibillion-dollar NFL partnership and was instrumental in forging the collaboration with the television program The X Factor.
From 2008 until 2010, as CMO for Sparkling Beverages at Pepsi-Cola North America, Cooper managed the soft drink lineup and directed the relaunch of Pepsi. This initiative highlighted themes of optimism and positive transformation through campaigns such as Word Play, the Webby Award-winning Dear Mr. President, Pepsi Throwback, and the innovative Pepsi Refresh Project, which are regarded among PepsiCo’s most groundbreaking marketing ventures.
Developing digital presence
Cooper significantly enhanced PepsiCo’s digital footprint by establishing exclusive collaborations with platforms like Foursquare and Twitter, producing original content, and implementing real-time marketing strategies. Partnering with the Cornerstone agency, he launched Green Label Sound, a music label focused on indie artists associated with the Mountain Dew brand. He secured partnerships with prominent artists such as Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Eminem, One Direction, Nicki Minaj, and Lil Wayne, along with alliances involving companies including Apple and Twitter.
He also led the creation of Pepsi's most successful limited-edition product campaign through DEWmocracy, a consumer-driven platform developed alongside Forest Whitaker that empowered customers to design the next Mountain Dew flavor. Over a twelve-week period, this initiative resulted in sales exceeding 17 million cases, generating roughly $100 million in retail revenue.
In 2014, Cooper served as executive producer for Beats of the Beautiful Game, a visual album featuring eleven original tracks accompanied by short films from artists like Kelly Rowland, Janelle Monáe, and Don Omar, with direction from figures such as Spike Lee and Idris Elba. This project was launched under Creators League, Pepsi’s inaugural internal production company dedicated to original digital content, which Cooper spearheaded.
Within PepsiCo, Cooper also held the role of Vice President of Promotions and Interactive Marketing, overseeing both national campaigns and account-specific retail marketing for Pepsi-Cola North America (PCNA). He began his career at PCNA in July 2003 as Vice President for Multicultural Marketing & Strategic Initiatives.
Honors and awards
Cooper has earned a spot on Fast Company's list of the 100 Most Creative People in Business, ranking at number 44. He has also been featured on Advertising Age's Entertainment A-List, placed 13th on the Billboard Power 100, and received the Ad Color Legend Award in recognition of his contributions.
In 2014, Harvard University honored him with the Raymond J. McGuire Alumni Award for Distinguished Professional Achievement.
Memberships and Associations
He previously held the position of Chairman at the American Advertising Federation.