Mountain Dew® Launches Newest Commercial Featuring Lil Wayne, Marking Culmination Of DEWeezy Project And Partnership With STOKED

PURCHASE, N.Y., Oct.18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Mountain Dew® announced today it will premiere a new commercial on Saturday, October 20, marking the culmination of the DEWeezy Project, a partnership with Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Lil Wayne. 

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/58613-mountain-dew-new-commercial-lil-wayne-deweezy-project-stoked

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121018/MM93764 )

In collaboration with the action sports youth development agency STOKED, the program enlisted 10 teens from the NYC area to work with brand and industry executives, including director Chris Robinson of Robot Films and Motive, a creative studio with offices in New York and Denver, to co-create a :30 second television commercial. Through www.deweezy.com, fans were able to follow the teens' journey and vote for their favorite concepts and final cuts. 

"The DEWeezy Project is representative of how Mountain Dew engages its community in the development of our programs," said Brett O'Brien, Vice President of Marketing, Mountain Dew. "This has been an incredible collaboration, working with Lil Wayne, Stoked and DEW consumers to wrap the final phase of the program that celebrates individuality and creativity. The premiere of this commercial spot truly brings to life our 'This is How I DEW' campaign."

"This has been an incredible and once in a lifetime experience for our youth and organization," said Steve Larosiliere, Founder, STOKED. "This has been a perfect partnership between STOKED and Mountain Dew, providing youth with mentoring, access to industry leaders, and the opportunity to be creative. The result is a high quality commercial starring one of the biggest hip hop stars. We couldn't be more thrilled."

Previous phases of the DEWeezy Project include the September 26 launch of a new skate park in New Orleans' Lower 9^th Ward Village, a neighborhood center for one of the districts hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Tune in to NBC during Dew Tour coverage October 20-21 to catch the premiere of the commercial. For more information on the DEWeezy Project, visit www.DEWeezy.com or join the conversation at #DEWeezy.

About Mountain Dew

Mountain Dew, a product of PepsiCo Americas Beverages, is the No. 1 flavored carbonated soft drink in the U.S. With its one-of-a-kind citrus taste, Mountain Dew exhilarates and quenches with every sip. In addition to original Mountain Dew® and Diet Mountain Dew®, the permanent DEW product line includes Mountain Dew Code Red®, Mountain Dew LiveWire®, Mountain Dew Throwback®, Mountain Dew Voltage® and Mountain Dew White Out®. For more information, check out www.mountaindew.com, www.facebook.com/mountaindew or follow on twitter @mtn_dew.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo is a global food and beverage leader with net revenues of more than $65 billion and a product portfolio that includes 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in annual retail sales. Our main businesses – Quaker, Tropicana, Gatorade, Frito-Lay and Pepsi-Cola – make hundreds of enjoyable foods and beverages that are loved throughout the world. PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth by investing in a healthier future for people and our planet, which we believe also means a more successful future for PepsiCo. We call this commitment Performance with Purpose: PepsiCo's promise to provide a wide range of foods and beverages for local tastes; to find innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment by conserving energy and water and reducing packaging volume; to provide a great workplace for our associates; and to respect, support and invest in the local communities where we operate. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com. 

About DEWeezy:

The DEWeezy project is your opportunity to be a part of the driving force behind a brand new Mtn Dew TV spot starring Lil Wayne. Inspire the idea, help select storyboards, and even get a behind the scenes look at the TV shoot. Then watch as the spot comes to life in front of DEW nation.

About STOKED

STOKED, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was founded on the belief that the courage and perseverance needed to learn action sports would be an ideal way to teach those life skills to youth from disadvantaged urban communities. STOKED's mission is to promote personal development, academic achievement, and healthy living to under-served youth through action sports culture. Founded in 2005 by Steve Larosiliere and Sal Masekela, the organization operates in both New York and Los Angeles and has served over 2100 youth.

For information regarding the DEWeezy Project or to speak to a PepsiCo representative, please contact Jen Ryan ([email protected], 914.708.6066) or Elisa Baker ([email protected], 914.253.2408)

SOURCE PepsiCo Beverages