PEPSI CONTEST WINNERS TO MEET & GREET SOURAV GANGULY & RAHUL DRAVID

Hyderabad, November, 2003: As the cricket fever catches up here for the crucial One-Day International (ODI) between India and New Zealand, Pepsi’s innovative consumer campaign has unleashed further excitement for fans in the city. Pepsi has launched the "Join the Huddle" consumer contest, winners of which will get an opportunity to meet and greet Indian cricket Captain Sourav Ganguly and Vice-Captain Rahul Dravid.

India take on New Zealand in a day-night match here on November 15th, as part of the ongoing tri-nation ODI series involving the hosts, the Kiwis and world champions Australia.

Consumers are required to give a caption to the famous photograph of Pepsi’s Men in Blue in a huddle in the middle of the cricket ground, and drop completed entries at conveniently located drop boxes. Consumers can also participate in a contest being jointly launched by Pepsi and a cellular service provider. Participants can send in their slogans through SMS, as part of this contest.

Pepsi is also set to create added excitement at about 20 happening youth hang-outs in Hyderabad with the exciting consumer promotion.

Thirty participants with best captions will get to meet Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid at a city hotel on November 14th.

According to Mr. Praveen Someshwar, Head of Pepsi’s operations in the central region, "Pepsi has been a pioneer in bringing fans closer to celebrities. Pepsi’s ‘Join the Huddle’ contest is yet another opportunity for fans in Hyderabad to meet their favourite cricketers."

In addition to this contest, Pepsi has also unleashed a slew of consumer promotions to add to the cricketing fun. Consumers can send good luck messages to the Indian cricket team as part of a SMS promotion. The best messages will be downloaded on to a CD and presented to the Indian cricket team.

As part of yet another innovative Pepsi promotion, consumers can also send SMS to a given number on a ‘4’ or a ‘6’ being hit during the match, and win four or six bottles of 500-ml PET Pepsi free. Three consumers sending the maximum number of SMS will win 12 bottles of 1.5-litre Pepsi free.

-MK
Reachout's News Bureau
November' 2003

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