Michael Jackson may have passed away in 2009, though it appears his estate are doing everything in their power to ensure he lives on in popular culture. They have signed a huge deal with Pepsi - the company whose 1984 commercial left Jackson with severe burns to his scalp which reportedly led to his prescription drug addiction, according to Tmz.com.
The accident on the set of the commercial, during which Jackson's hair was set on fire, is often blamed for Jackson's dependence on medication. His former manager Frank Cascio said the singer was introduced to the drug Demerol to deal with the pain from the burns. TMZ suggest that some people are branding it "a deal with the devil", however, Jackson's estate feel that Pepsi is the right company to join forces with, and the singer actually worked with the brand on two further occasions, in 1988 and 1991. A spokesperson for the estate said, "We're here to market the re-release of the 'Bad' album and Pepsi is the most effective place to do it". The logistics of the new deal with vary from country to country, though it includes a television commercial, as well as special edition Pepsi cans with Jackson's image. Fans will also be in with a chance of winning downloadable remixes of the late singer's songs.
While preparing for his 'This Is It' concert series, Jackson died of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication on June 25, 2009, after suffering from cardiac arrest.