DRINK PEPSI GET STUFF

SOMERS, N.Y., March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Pepsi-Cola Company today unveiled "Pepsi Stuff" -- the single biggest consumer event in the company's history.

For the next seven months, millions of loyal Pepsi drinkers across the country will receive more than $125 million worth of cool clothing and merchandise, free of charge, just by doing what they already love to do... drink Pepsi.

The Pepsi Stuff program, which kicks off in most markets next week, is simple: Consumers drink Pepsi, collect "Pepsi Points," and redeem them for Pepsi Stuff -- a wide array of high-quality t-shirts, hats, sweatshirts, denim and leather jackets, sunglasses, kick sacks, mountain bikes, beach chairs, duffel bags and other Stuff that active people use and enjoy throughout the summer.

The breadth, scale and intensity of this massive consumer outreach dwarfs any previous marketing effort by the company, including the famous Pepsi Challenge. For example:

-- More than 170 million Pepsi Stuff catalogs -- at least one for every other person in the U.S. -- will be distributed in-pack and in- store

-- More than 4.5 million items, with a total retail value of more than $125 million, will be awarded to consumers throughout the program

    --   More than 7 billion points will be distributed on more than 4 billion packages of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Caffeine Free Pepsi, Caffeine Free Diet Pepsi, Wild Cherry Pepsi and Diet Wild Cherry Pepsi

"Pepsi Stuff is telling the world that in addition to delivering the best-tasting cola around, Pepsi also delivers a tangible value to consumers," said Brian Swette, Executive Vice President of Marketing for Pepsi-Cola Company. "And, in the quagmire of Summer Games advertising that will no doubt flood the marketplace this summer, we believe that Stuff will really break through and connect with people where they live and where they buy our products."

In addition to the Pepsi Stuff catalog, which features cameo shots of Cindy Crawford, Andre Agassi and Deion Sanders wearing Pepsi Stuff, the program will be supported by a new television, radio and print advertising campaign, outdoor advertising, tie-ins with Pepsi's new World Wide Web site (http://www.pepsi.com/) and a massive in-store point-of-purchase drive that is five times the size of any previous Pepsi promotion. The simple theme line running through all of the program's consumer communications is "Drink Pepsi. Get Stuff."

The new television campaign, developed by Pepsi's longtime agency BBDO, will kick off with two new spots -- "Harrier" and "Blues" in spot markets around the country beginning the week of April 1. "Harrier" features a Pepsi-loving teen who achieves the ultimate Pepsi Stuff reward; and, blues guitar legend John Lee Hooker appears in "Blues" to sing the praises of his Pepsi Stuff. A third spot, scheduled for release later this spring, is currently in production.

Pepsi-Cola Company, based in Somers, N.Y., is a division of PepsiCo.

                       MORE STUFF ON PEPSI STUFF

-- 170 million Pepsi Stuff catalogs will be distributed to consumers through in-store displays and in specially-marked Pepsi 24-pack "Cubes," 30-pack "Block Parties" and 12-packs. That's at least one catalog for every other person in the U.S.... more than the annual circulations of U.S. News & World Report, Sports Illustrated and Newsweek.

-- Over 7 billion points will be distributed on more than 4 billion packages, including Quick Slam and Big Slam bottles, 2- and 3-liter bottles, fountain cups and on all 20-, 24- and 30-can multi-packs.

-- More than 4.5 million items, with a total retail value of $125 million, will be awarded to consumers, including more than two million t-shirts, hats and sweatshirts.

-- If consumers want a Pepsi Stuff item before they have enough points, they can make up the difference by buying Pepsi Points for 10 cents each, as long as they've actually collected at least 20 points on their own. No other "loyalty" program gives consumers this flexibility.

-- All of the Pepsi Stuff is high-quality, durable gear made for today's active lifestyles, and includes some well-known brand name items such as Teva sandals and the Fila mountain bike.

-- During a six-month test of Pepsi Stuff in the Pacific Northwest last year, the average consumer redeemed enough Pepsi Points to choose from roughly three-quarters of the items in the catalog.

-- The reverse-fleece fabric used on the crewneck sweatshirt was developed exclusively for Pepsi Stuff, as was the three-dimensional embroidery used on the blue active bag and the bike bag.

-- Cyrk, Inc., in coordination with Pepsi-Cola Company designed and developed the Pepsi Stuff line of clothing and merchandise and is supervising production. Fulfillment of the program is being handled by Young America Corporation.

                        Pepsi Points Per Package
                    Fountain Cups               1 Point
                    16-oz, 20-oz. Quick Slam    1 Point
                     and 24-oz. bottles
                    Big Slam, 1- and 2-liter
                     bottles                    2 Points
                    3-liter bottles             3 Points
                    12-packs                    5 Points
                    20-packs, 24-packs, Cubes,  10 Points
                    30-pack Block Parties
                Points Needed for Each Pepsi Stuff Item
          Kick Sacks     25   Points     Phone Card       35  Points
          CD Case        40   Points     Baseball Caps    60  Points
          T-Shirts       80   Points     Beach Towel      95  Points
          Beach Shorts  110   Points     Bag of Sports
                                          Balls          120 Points
          Blue Shades   125   Points     Beach Chair     140 Points
          Canvas Duffel 200   Points     Crew Sweatshirt 250 Points
          Hooded                         Teva Sandals    300 Points
           Sweatshirt    275  Points
          Sport Watch    325  Points     Big Travel Bag  350 Points
          Denim Jacket   400  Points     Leather Jacket 1200 Points
          Fila Mountain
           Bike         2750  Points
    -0-                               3/27/96

/CONTACT: Brad Shaw, 914-767-7495, or Jon Harris, 914-767-7225, both of Pepsi/

(PEP)

CO: Pepsi-Cola Company; PepsiCo. ST: New York IN: FOD ADV SU: PDT 

PS-DW -- NYW003 -- 2355 03/27/96 06:28 EST