Pepsi launches new mega consumer promotion

Hyderabad, Mar 17: Pepsi, the leading soft drink producer today (Mar 17, 2006) launched a new mega promotion initiative for consumers in Andhra Pradesh - the 'Pepsi Thragandi, Hero Avvandi' contest.

The promotion will feature leading Tamil film star, Suriya. The mega contest will culminate in one lucky winner who will get to act in Suriya's upcoming movie ''Rangam Sidhamayindhi'', produced and directed by Gowtham Menon.

The launch is being propagated through a creatively designed television commercial for the ''Pepsi Thragandi, Hero Avvandi'' contest. The 45-second commercial created by advertising agency -JWT, builds on the concept of 'E Dhagam dhoddadhe' by taking it to an experiential level.

The 45-day consumer initiative is supported by a complete 360 marketing initiative that involves television, radio, outdoor and web and wireless, Mr Saurabh Gupta, Director Operations, Central Market Unit, Pepsi Foods Pvt. Ltd told the media here.

The company, which claims the initiative is ''only to connect with the consumers and not for sales'', however, expects a ''double digit'' growth into sales in AP in the current fiscal. We consider AP as our big market and expect at 15 per cent sales growth'', Mr Gupta said.

The contest involves the consumer to collect 5 Pepsi Suriya crowns and sms Suriya to 8243 to get the audition details for his city. Pepsi Dream vans will visit these cities on those designated days and conduct on-the-spot screen tests across buzzing locations in that city.

Fifty contestants will be shortlisted from across these auditions, to perform before ace film director, Gowtham Menon, who will choose one lucky winner to act in his film, Rangam Sidhamayindhi. The other 49 short listed consumers will get a chance to meet Suriya.

UNI