Pepsi MAX Brings Fans to the Forefront of 'What's Next' When Music Meets Digital at South by Southwest

PURCHASE, N.Y., March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The South by Southwest (SxSW) festival beginning March 11 is known as a hotbed of emerging trends in music, technology and film, and Pepsi MAX is excited to offer a robust, one-of-a-kind experience that celebrates the convergence of digital and music. Pepsi MAX is partnering with some of the hottest up-and-coming companies in the tech and music space, including foursquare and Grooveshark, to create innovative experiences for attendees in Austin as well as SxSW fanatics following at home.

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"We know SxSW fans expect progressive experiences delivered in an authentic, innovative spirit," said Amy Wirtanen, Senior Marketing Director, Pepsi Max.  "That's why we're working with cutting edge content and media partners to create exclusive opportunities for fans to amplify the live music experience in the digital space."

Converging Music and Digital

Programming will include engaging ways for fans at home to take part in the festivities:

• Live Streamed Concerts:  Three Pepsi MAX concerts will be live streamed on www.PepsiMAX.com/facebook throughout the festival: Big Boi, The Sounds, and Locksley on March 14, Eclectic Method, Pharaoh Monch, Skyzoo, Hank & Cupcakes, and Deluka on March 16, and Snoop Dogg's Funk n Soul Extravaganza on March 19 featuring Snoop Dogg, Mayer Hawthorne and the County, and DAM-FUNK.

• Unlock a Golden Ticket Badge with foursquare:  In a first of its kind collaboration between foursquare and Pepsi MAX, fans will have a chance to unlock a 'Golden Ticket Badge' to get exclusive access to see 6-time Grammy winner, Big Boi, Locksley and The Sounds. By following Big Boi on foursquare at http://foursquare.com/bigboi, every time SxSW-goers check-in to a venue in Austin, they could be randomly selected to receive tickets to the concert. Badges are available March 11-14 until the concert at 8:00 p.m. on March 14 in Austin.

• Grooveshark Center Stage Voting:  Pepsi MAX is providing a stage for six up-and-coming music acts on March 16, while creating a participatory concert experience for fans.  Fans can vote for one of the bands performing at the Grooveshark Center Stage to win the opportunity to open for Snoop Dogg in one of the biggest concerts at SxSW three days later. Vote for your favorite Grooveshark Center Stage band: Eclectic Method, Pharaoh Monch, Skyzoo, Hank & Cupcakes and Deluka at www.PepsiMAX.com/facebook.

• BreakoutBand, a PepsiCo10 company, and social, music-making experience: Brings its interactive music beat maker to the Pepsi MAX Lot at SxSW, allowing music fans to mix their own beats on site for a chance to win tickets to see Snoop Dogg perform at the Pepsi MAX Lot as well as other prizes. For those not attending SxSW, bring your inner musician to life at www.BreakoutBand.com.

Pepsi MAX Lot in Austin

The Pepsi MAX Lot, an interactive fan experience in downtown Austin (3rd Avenue and San Jacinto Boulevard) will play host to much of the brand's programming throughout the festival.  For those on location, the Pepsi MAX Lot will offer free WiFi and charging stations and feature a digitally "tricked out" Pepsi MAX delivery truck displaying the latest user-generated content on social media channels.  Additionally, fans can participate in the following:

• Blogs with Balls: Mix and mingle with some of the digital industry's best, including executives from Mashable, Foursquare, and Blogs with Balls (BwB) at influencer-hosted happy hours at the Pepsi Max Lot. Fans can submit questions via Twitter using the #PepsiMAXBwB hashtag that will potentially be asked during a flash panel with BwB panelists, Darren Rovell (CNBC sports business reporter), Jemele Hill (ESPN.com) and Dan Shanoff (Quickish), along with a host of digital sports leaders.

• Chill Out:  Relax with friends and partake in free activities including – happy hours sponsored by some of the coolest digital partners, BBQ's by local restaurant La Condesa – recently nominated for the James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant in the country – games of MAX ping pong and Cornhole, a real foursquare court for fans to play with the employees of foursquare, and photo booths capturing memories from SxSW to share with friends!

"We know that Pepsi MAX fans love to be in the know, and that's why we're engaging them directly at SxSW this year," Wirtanen said. "This festival is truly a vanguard of cultural movement, and Pepsi MAX is thrilled to take part by bringing exclusive experiences through social media, engaging programming and key partnerships across the digital and music sectors."

Pepsi MAX fans can keep a pulse on new and innovative programming at PepsiMAX.com/facebook and on Twitter at @PepsiMAX.  

About Pepsi MAX

Pepsi MAX, with its zero calories and maximum Pepsi taste, is one of PepsiCo's billion-dollar global brands and is part of Pepsi Americas Beverages.  To learn more about Pepsi MAX, visit Pepsi Max on Facebook at: www.PepsiMAX.com/facebook or on Twitter at: @PepsiMAX

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