Throwback in pictures: Britney, Beyoncé, and Pink in an epic 'Gladiator' ad

Three queens in Ancient Rome

Let's travel back to 2003. The impact of 'Gladiator' (2000) was so huge that hundreds of films tried to mimic Ridley Scott's masterpiece, not knowing that a Pepsi ad would come closest to the grandeur of the movie starring Russell Crowe.

An exceptional idea

Executives at the advertising agency BBDO Paris brainstormed ideas: What if we get Britney Spears? How about Beyoncé? Should we add Pink? And maybe a male singer like Enrique Iglesias?

Three queens and Queen

With the names on the table, someone suggested they needed to add music. With three queens together, it was impossible not to think of Queen and, specifically, 'We Will Rock You.'

The Colosseum

They had the names, the music, and the concept. Now, they needed to combine it into something epic, memorable, and timeless. The solution? The Roman Colosseum.

Photo: Unsplash - Sofia Inveszia

Rock in the arena

Thus, one of the most memorable commercials in history was born: 'Pepsi - We Will Rock You.' At the time, Britney Spears, Beyoncé, Pink, and Enrique Iglesias were musical royalty, which isn't necessarily true for all of them now.

Image: Youtube - Pepsi

A duel... by singing

The idea was simple but effective. The three singers would portray gladiators seemingly set to duel in the Roman Colosseum, under the watchful eye of an emperor played by Enrique Iglesias.

The perfect ad

The ad begins with the three fighters waiting to enter the arena as the iconic beat of 'We Will Rock You' starts, with its recognizable two claps and a stomp, engaging the crowd.

Image: Youtube - Pepsi

50 extras and lots of CGI

The audience, by the way, was only about 50 people, digitally expanded to look like 50,000. It wasn’t the actual Roman Colosseum either, but rather Cinecittà Studios in Rome.

Image: Youtube - Pepsi

Who was the top queen?

Finally, the three gladiators jump into the arena, drop their weapons, and start singing 'We Will Rock You.' In what order? Britney, Beyoncé, and Pink. Back then, Britney was the biggest name in the industry, even above Queen B.

An iconic image

The image of the three contemporary divas, aligned and drinking Pepsi simultaneously, is iconic. The commercial is timeless, and the work of the advertising agency was commendable.

Image: Youtube - Pepsi

Tarsem Singh

The ad was directed by Tarsem Singh (known for 'The Fall' and 'The Cell') and reportedly cost around $10 million, with more than half of that going to the stars, each earning $1-2 million.

Premiered at the Grammys

Contrary to popular belief, the ad didn't premiere during the 2003 Super Bowl but at that year's Grammy Awards, causing a tremendous impact worldwide. An impact that continues more than two decades later.