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Simon Cowell talks the X Factor at the TCA's

By April MacIntyre Aug 5, 2011, 17:54 GMT

05/16/2011 - Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell - 2011 Fox Upfront - Arrivals - Wollman Rink, Central Park - New York City, NY, USA © Charles Norfleet / PR Photos

Pepsi announced today that the winner of this fall’s The X Factor will star in a Pepsi commercial during Super Bowl XLV.

The winner will join previous top Pop Icons featured by Pepsi on worldwide stage
Pepsi, the premier partner of The X Factor, today announced that the winner(s) of the singing competition will be featured in a Pepsi commercial scheduled to air on NBC during Super Bowl XLVI in February 2012.

Today at the Television Critics' Association summer press tour, Simon Cowell was beamed in on satellite and spoke about the trials of getting X Factor to screen in the USA.

"The winner is guaranteed to walk away with $5 million dollars," clarified Simon Cowell, interrupting L.A. Reid's answer regarding the prize winnings.

"I was quite traunatized by the auditions," quipped Simon Cowell, on "lippy" 14 year-olds who "chew him apart."

"But I quite like that," he added.

"I wouldn't have made the show if I didn't think it would be different - we felt the time was ready now...we see this as a game changer, we're going to find a completely different type of contestant."

"For me, the shows are completely different even though they are  both talent competitions.."

"We are going to throw everything at this show to make it work..."

Simon was taken aback by one question. "Did she call me a puppet master? Simon said and looks off camera after a journalist asked him if he was one, with regards to the Cheryl Cole situation.

Regarding Cheryl Cole, "We felt she would be more comfortable doing the UK show..."
Cowell says Cole decided to not come back to the USA show after it was re-offered to her...I thought Cheryl returning back to the UK would have been a big headline.."

Diva Mariah Carey also will be involved some way during the course of the show, according to Simon.

Simon noted, "It's really important that when you make reality TV that it should look as real as possible,"

The X Factor winner(s) will join other pop music legends such as Michael Jackson, Madonna and Justin Timberlake by starring in a Pepsi commercial.  Pepsi has long been an advertiser on the Super Bowl broadcast and its Pepsi MAX brand is currently the official soft drink of the NFL. Last year’s Super Bowl was the most-watched television program in US history with an average of 111 million viewers. 

"For decades, Pepsi has put musical talent in its commercials on T.V.’s biggest stage – the Super Bowl,” said Frank Cooper, Chief Consumer Engagement Officer of PepsiCo Americas Beverages. “Pepsi has a long history of being the curator, creator and catalyst of exciting, new music; and The X Factor partnership is a great way for us to continue to bring fresh musical talent to new generations.”

The prizing of the new Pepsi Super Bowl spot is in addition to the previously announced $5 Million recording contract with Sony Music/Syco, and is the most lucrative prize package in television history.

The X Factor is produced by Syco Television and FremantleMedia North America. Rob Wade and Siobhan Greene are executive producers for Syco Television. Cecile Frot-Coutaz, Richard Holloway and Andrew Llinares serve as executive producers for FremantleMedia North America.

Since its debut in 2004, the series has remained the U.K.’s #1 program for the last seven years, peaking with an audience of 21 million with 65% audience share for its 2010 finale.