Dr Pepper has unveiled its first-ever Fan Wall of Fame in Bloomington, Indiana, an interactive public mural honoring the fans behind Indiana's historic 2026 CFP National Championship — and the brand says it plans to repeat the activation every year.
The installation, located at 124 East Kirkwood Avenue in a high-traffic area of downtown Bloomington, was created by South Bend-based artist Nate Baranowski. It uses optical-illusion techniques to place visitors inside a scene alongside fellow fans and athletes, effectively crowning each person who steps in front of it the number-one fan. Former Indiana quarterback Trent Green attended the September 4 unveiling and was the first to experience the interactive mural.
The Brand Strategy
For Keurig Dr Pepper, the Fan Wall of Fame represents a deliberate extension of its long-running college football sponsorship into physical, community-rooted brand experiences. Rather than limiting championship celebrations to media buys or in-stadium signage, the company is planting a permanent-feeling marker in the winning team's hometown — one accessible to any fan walking by, not just ticketholders.
"College football fans bring the sport to life. They create the traditions, fuel the rivalries and turn every season into something bigger than the games themselves," said Brad Rakes, VP of Brand Marketing, Keurig Dr Pepper. "That's why this year, we're giving fans something of their own: a monument that celebrates the passion, loyalty and dedication that helped make this championship season unforgettable."
The move signals how major beverage brands are investing in experiential marketing tied to live sports moments — a tactic that resonates with on-premise operators who increasingly look to align their own programming with national sports calendars to drive traffic and engagement.
Implications for Operators
For restaurant and bar operators, Dr Pepper's college football activation underscores the commercial weight of CFP season. Venues in college markets — from sports bars to casual-dining chains — routinely see significant weekend revenue tied to game days, and national brand campaigns like this one amplify fan enthusiasm well before kickoff. Operators who stock Dr Pepper products and market around local team pride can capitalize on the same fan energy the brand is tapping.
The Fan Wall of Fame is also a reminder of how beverage companies are reshaping hospitality-adjacent sponsorships, moving beyond pouring rights and co-branded cups into cultural moments that generate organic foot traffic and social sharing. For foodservice operators, that kind of brand energy in the local market can translate directly to incremental visits during the college football season, which runs from late August through the January bowl and playoff schedule.
As Food & Beverage Magazine has tracked, consumer packaged goods brands are increasingly funneling experiential budgets into regional activations rather than broad national campaigns, betting that hyper-local relevance drives stronger brand recall and purchase intent. Dr Pepper's commitment to making the Fan Wall of Fame an annual tradition — tied each year to the new CFP champion's home city — suggests the brand sees lasting value in that approach.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
