As fans of “Mad Men” know, advertising can convince us of anything. And Don Draper and company worked in the days before corporate product placements and hourlong puff pieces like “Pepsi’s Challenge” (8 p.m., CNBC).

The title refers to the Pepsi Challenge of vintage TV ads. But the corporation profiled here is more than a bottler of dark, bubbly liquid. It distributes other food and beverages, from Cap’n Crunch cereal and Fritos to Tropicana Orange Juice. In soft drink sales, Pepsi has dropped from the perennial No. 2 to third behind Coke and Diet Coke. The corporation, known as PepsiCo, wants to be successful in other areas of the food market, including products that are “fun” to eat (i.e. snacks and “junk” food) and products that are “good” for you (oatmeal, orange juice, etc.).

The most interesting aspects of “Challenge” focus on the world-traveling scientists foraging through jungles and remote Chinese provinces in search of the root, leaf or berry that could contribute to the healthy, non-sugar sweetener of tomorrow.

The show also profiles PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi, who has endeavored to change the corporation’s junk food image to that of a provider of healthy food alternatives. While her supporters think this is an essential move to ensure PepsiCo’s growth and survival, others fear she is taking her eye off the central competition with Coke. Still, others think it is duplicitous at best to confuse junk food with healthy food, particularly at a time when obesity has become an epidemic. And some question the wisdom or morality of bottling Pepsi in places like Nooyi’s native India, where clean, accessible drinking water is increasingly scarce.

So, one wonders, what would Don Draper do?

Would he spin PepsiCo as “good for you”? Or double down on the addictive nature of sweet and salty snacks? Or maybe this is a job for Homer Simpson: “Mmmm … snacks.”

• The “POV” (9 p.m., PBS, check local listings) documentary “Where Soldiers Come From” follows three buddies from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula as they join the National Guard together and share a deployment in Afghanistan.

Tonight’s other highlights

• Results and eliminations on “The X Factor” (7 p.m., Fox).

• Reese and Finch wonder if a deceased subject can be a “Person of Interest” (8 p.m., CBS).

• Approaching maternity leave, Pam trains a temp to replace her on “The Office” (8 p.m., NBC).

• A cadaver turns out to be a former competitive eating champion on “Bones” (8 p.m., Fox).

• Henry reports for emergency surgery on “Grey’s Anatomy” (8 p.m., ABC).

• Things reach the breaking point on “Burn Notice” (9 p.m., USA).

• “Vietnam in HD” (8 p.m., History) follows the conflict from 1969 to 1975.

• Accused of murder, a man holds Jane and company hostage on “The Mentalist” (9 p.m., CBS).