SunChips and Current TV Unveil Consumer-Created Ads to Serve as Inspiration for Greener Lifestyles

PLANO, Texas and SAN FRANCISCO, April 22 /PRNewswire/ -- SunChips, the popular line of multigrain snacks from PepsiCo's Frito-Lay division, and Current TV today announced "Little Steps" by Heather Kramer from Brooklyn, NY as the top ad from the 2010 SunChips and Current TV's VCAM platform, a unique program that challenged consumers to create videos that encourage positive change in the world while featuring the recently introduced compostable SunChips bag. "Little Steps," which was filmed in stop-motion animation, features a SunChips compostable bag and its journey from the trash to the compost heap. The ad was selected by Current Chairman and co-founder, Al Gore, and is slated to air in a number of prime time television spots during Earth Month.  In addition, three other viewer ads were selected from the submissions and each producer was compensated $5,000 for their spot.  The other recognized videos include:

• "What is Change" by Daniel Stolzman from New York, NY, features small changes that make a big difference. The ad shows people trying a number of new things and meeting new people – all to show that change is irresistible.
• "Things to Do with SunChips" by Eunice Kim, Jiyun Ha, and Brian Cariaga from Pasadena, CA, showcases the many ways consumers can use the new SunChips bag. From a planter to origami to compost, the animated ad highlights the bag's innovative nature.
• "Design by Nature" by EyesView Media from Orlando, FL is inspired by nature's packaging. From banana peels to corn husks, the ad features the bag taking a page from Mother Nature's how-to guide by composting into earth-friendly soil.

All of the VCAMs can be viewed at: http://current.com/sunchips.

"Our goal in partnering with Current TV is to encourage our consumers to participate in the journey for a brighter tomorrow," said Gannon Jones, vice president, portfolio marketing, Frito-Lay North America.  "We know that our SunChips 100 percent compostable bag is an innovation that resonates with our consumers. We felt that challenging our consumers to create compelling videos inspired by this positive step for the environment is a way to get them engaged in our ongoing sustainability efforts."

Current TV VCAMs are viewer-created advertisements that are chosen to air during a number of prime time slots during Earth Month. Beginning March 3 to March 12, 2010, SunChips and Current TV invited consumers to create and submit a compelling ad featuring the SunChips 100 percent compostable bag.  "Little Steps" will now air in a number of prime time spots and will be featured on www.current.com and www.sunchips.com.

The SunChips and Current TV partnership is another small step in the SunChips brand's sustainability journey. Last month, the brand launched the world's first 100 percent compostable chip bag, the latest of many steps in the SunChips brand's sustainability journey.  

• In 2007, a solar concentration field that harnesses the power of the sun to help in the production of SunChips was installed at Frito-Lay's Modesto, Calif. facility, one of seven plants across the country that make SunChips snacks.  
• In addition, the brand donated $1 million to the city of Greensburg, Kansas in 2008 to support efforts to rebuild the city as an eco-friendly community following a devastating tornado that destroyed the area.
• And, in 2009, SunChips joined with National Geographic to launch a national grants program (Green Effect) to support consumer led eco-friendly initiatives.

Frito-Lay North America is the $12 billion convenient foods business unit of PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP), which is headquartered in Purchase, NY.  In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo business units include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana. Learn more about Frito-Lay at the corporate Web site, http://www.fritolay.com/, the Snack Chat blog, http://www.snacks.com/ and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/fritolay.

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.

Current TV is an award-winning media company committed to exploring the world's most important, interesting, and entertaining stories. With a fully integrated broadcast and online platform, Current connects its audience with what's going on in their world through its unique blend of original productions and viewer created media.

Current is now viewed in the U.S., U.K., Italy and Ireland in 70 million households through distribution partners Comcast (Channel 107 nationwide), Time Warner (nationwide), DirecTV (channel 358 nationwide), Dish Network (channel 196 nationwide), Verizon, AT&T, BSkyB (channel 183), Virgin Media (channel 155) and Sky Italia (channel 130). More information is available at www.current.com

SOURCE Frito-Lay North America