I wish the article had some numbers on Pepsi's income and expected profit in that timeframe. It would really put that 8 mil offer in context. I also think a key point here is the deal Pepsi made with that local market: you buy a lot of Pepsi, and we give you winnings.

If they made 100 mils profit due to this campaign I think it's a different situation, ethically, from if they made around 2 mil profit (the amount of the original prize).