Pepsi Joins hands with Rediff.com, launches youth portal
The Financial Express, December 29, 1999

It's Pepsi Foods Ltd's youth-centric strategy to remain at the heart of the Internet revolution. In a cobranding initiative with the content provider Rediff.com. Pepsi has formulated a youth hangout on the web called Pepsi Surf Zone. Driven by Pepsi's three passions - cinema. chartbusters and cricket-the new portal www.pepsiindia.rediff.com guides the surfer to a wide spectrum of sites. The portal is a part of Pepsi's Millenium 2000 initiative, underwhich Pepsi had recently rolled out a Pepsi 2000ml pack. Change the Century promos and is launching a mega world concert in Mumbai on January 20-21, 2000.

"Internet is hot and happening where the pace of events is sizzling," said Vibha Paul Rishi, executive director (marketing), Pepsi, "With attributes like these you need the cool Pepsi around." She added that Pepsi Surf Zone allowed one to experience the Internet from Pepsi consumers' eyes.

Rishi said that the Pepsi Surf Zone would bring refreshingly new experiences to the young people from a pool of Pepsi properties. While the rediff.com is well positioned as a comprehensive, India-centric site, the new portals is aimed at becoming a specialised getaway, exchanging only youthful information which are closer to Pepsi consumurs.

Providing access to hundreds of sites, the Zone takes the surfer to the sites for gourmets, romance, lonely hearts, chats, contests, free poster downloads, cyberkhiladis and fun. According to Pepsi spokesperson, "Cinema buffs can choose from sites on Hollywood or Bollywood, music lovers can download their favourite music and cricket fans can tune in to the cricket sites for the latest happenings."

With corners like free Ricky Wallpapers or Free Sachin wallpaper, Pepsi Surf Zone will also allow the surfer to access its galaxy of stars and downloads their images or participate in contests. Some of its other exciting sections are: Chomps chomps (recipes), Pepsi phokats (freebles), Juke box (latest on music) Yak Online (chat on the net) and Juvenilla (games and fun). For Pepsi-wishers, there will also be information about Pepsi's new promotions, events; and celebrities as they come along.

Beginning with the newly introduced party pack 2000 ml Pepsi, which carries the address of the new portal. Pepsi plans to promote the site aggressively and keep it relevant to the youth.