LISTEN. TALK. SHARE. PepsiCo Goes Beyond Sponsor to Enable and Support 'Next Generation' of Digital Innovation Talent at South by Southwest 2010

AUSTIN, Texas, March 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- We're here to help, listen and learn (and when you need us, we'll quench your thirst and hunger, too).  That's the message from PepsiCo, one of the world's premier food and beverage companies, to the digital storytellers, entrepreneurs and emerging talent who are poised to convene at this year's South by Southwest, a unique industry conference that serves as an annual incubator for digital innovation.  

From its high-touch, high-tech "PepsiCo Podcast Playground," to the relaxing "Pepsi Refresh Cafe" to the laid-back haven "SoBe Lizard Lounge," PepsiCo is making good on its promise to enrich the SXSW interactive, film and music experience which begins Friday, March 12 at the Austin Convention Center in Austin, Texas, for the more than 30,000 attendees.

"PepsiCo's support for the talent, innovation, energy and ideals fueled by SXSW is consistent with our belief in Performance with Purpose – achieving financial success while leaving a positive imprint on society," said Frank Cooper, chief consumer engagement officer, PepsiCo Beverages Americas.  "South by Southwest is an incubator for big ideas and the ideal opportunity for us to seek out new innovation."

"South by Southwest is excited to have PepsiCo back as a super sponsor in 2010," said Tammy Lynn Gilmore, SXSW Interactive Press + Publicity. "The PepsiCo Podcast Playground led the way and was a hit last year with early adopters and the engaged social media folks that make our event such a valuable experience. They're back again this year, with Pepsi, Mt. Dew, SoBe and PepsiCo helping make the user experience a little sweeter across all three festivals."

"More than a sponsor, we aim to be a supporter," said Bonin Bough, director of digital and social media at PepsiCo.  "Whether it's providing an environment for content creators to speak to their audiences or building an application to aggregate meaningful conversations for attendees to have the opportunity to experience everything happening and even those people not attending, we want to listen to and enable the activities and individuals at South by Southwest as much as possible."

PepsiCo, along with the Pepsi, Mt. Dew and SoBe brands, is going deep at SXSW with a number of opportunities designed to enhance the SXSW experience.  They include:  

PepsiCo Podcast Playground   Open to all, the Podcast Playground is designed to make sharing the SXSW experience as easy and relaxed as possible.  Two custom pods will allow podcasters a relaxed, quiet space to broadcast from that's still close to the action.  And as part of the PepsiCo Digital Speak easy, Blip.TV will be on-site conducting interviews with Interactive industry leaders and up-and-comers.  Three informal flash panels will serve be as conversation platform within the space. Returning in 2010, the PepsiCo Zeitgeist will be on display in the playground and throughout the Austin Convention Center, mining Twitter conversations and presenting trends in real time. And, of course, samples of some of the coolest new beverages from PepsiCo will be available.  The PepsiCo Podcast Playground is open from Friday, March 12 through Tuesday, March 16, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

At the brand level, the activations are just as exciting.

The Pepsi Refresh SXSW Challenge is dedicated to ideas that refresh your world – digitally!   The Pepsi Refresh Project, is a year-long initiative, during which Pepsi will provide more than 30 grants per month – and a total of more than $20 million over the course of the year – to bring good ideas to life... ideas submitted and voted on by consumers.  At SXSW, three individuals will partner with digital influencers to campaign compete to win a $50,000 spot grant to bring their digital pro-social idea to life.  The quest begins Saturday, March 13 during the Pepsi Refresh SXSW Challenge Flash Panel at the PepsiCo Podcast Playground. Tweet to vote for your favorite idea, using a dedicated hashtag. You can vote once every two hours, so make those votes count.  Log on to refreshsxsw.com to learn about the ideas and view leaderboards.

Mt. Dew – Green Label Sound  Mt. Dew has long been a fan and supporter of great music.  With Green Label Sound, Mt. Dew is making a deeper, longer-term commitment to elevating and empowering independent musicians.  Green Label Sound is a singles record label that aims to bring greater levels of awareness and opportunities to artists who embody the spirit of Dew.  Join us Friday, March 19 at Club Deville for a Green Label Sound showcase featuring Ra Ra Riot, Neon Indian, Tanlines, Solid Gold, Theophilus London, and Classixx. Doors open at 9 p.m. For free downloads, artist info, videos, the GLS blog, contests, and more, visit GreenLabelSound.com.

SoBe's Lizard Lounge To celebrate the new look and feel of its reskinned line of Elixirs & Teas, SoBe is inviting SXSW attendees to stop by the Lizard Lounge during Interactive.  In-between daily happy hours SoBe-style, visitors are invited to virtually reskin themselves with help from SoBe's "ReSkin Yourself" station.  Offered exclusively at SXSW, "ReSkin Yourself" invites visitors to snap a photo, choose a digital tattoo and share virtual reskinned photos of themselves with friends, fans and followers.  

About South by Southwest Conferences & Festivals

The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conferences & Festivals offer the unique convergence of original music, independent films, and emerging technologies. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW® is the premier destination for discovery.

Year after year, the event is a launching pad for new creative content. New media presentations, music showcases and film screenings provide buzz-generating exposure for creators and compelling entertainment for audiences. Conference panel discussions present a forum for learning, business activity thrives at the Trade Shows and global networking opportunities abound. Austin serves as the perfect backdrop for SXSW®, where career development flourishes amid the relaxed atmosphere. Intellectual and creative intermingling among industry leaders continues to spark new ideas and carve the path for the future of each ever-evolving field, long after the events' conclusion.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generates more than $1 billion in annual retail sales.  Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in more than 200 countries.  With annualized revenues of nearly $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose.  By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide.  In recognition of its continued sustainability efforts, PepsiCo was named for the third time to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and for the fourth time to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America) in 2009. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

SOURCE PepsiCo