Pepsi Honors DJ Culture in August
Beverage retailer Pepsi-Cola North America will get its DJs in motion in August with a “Month in the Mix” series of live concert events celebrating hip-hop culture.
Influential local DJs who are part of the grassroots Pepsi DJ Division will activate the promotion with appearances and live performances in metro markets around the country including Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, FL, St. Louis, MO, and Washington D.C.
The campaign will kick off with a “blue carpet” New York launch at Arena on July 31 featuring appearances by eight members of the division along with Grandmaster Flash, Kid Capri and the Awesome Two.
Similar events will be held in the other cities throughout the month of August, with DJ Division members spinning music and serving as hosts. The complete schedule will be accessible on the Pepsi DJ Division Web site, www.pepsidjdivision.com, along with a user poll asking which of five famous DJs has had the greatest impact on hip-hop culture.
“DJs are respected trendsetters who have an undeniable influence on hip-hop culture,” said Frank Cooper, vice president of portfolio brands for Pepsi-Cola North America, in a statement. “‘Month in the Mix’ is a natural extension of the Pepsi DJ Division, and we look forward to celebrating the DJs and showcasing the impact on music.”
Each event will have both an official radio partner and a local retail partner such as Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Wayfields Foods, or Chevron that will help to promote the local event. Radio partners will publicize with on-air contests, live van remotes and branded presence at the events; retailers will help out with point-of-sale displays and their own van displays.
In addition, the “Month in the Mix” campaign will be promoted through the Web site of Complex magazine http://www.complex.com/ and radio station HOT 97 www.hot97.com, both of which are also partners for the New York launch event.
The campaign is currently advertised in multimedia pop-up ads on the BET.com Web site. The site is also offering registered users a chance to win a trip for two to New York to see the Pepsi Smash concert in October featuring the DJ Division and Missy Elliot, with winners chosen on August 28.
The Pepsi “Month in the Mix” campaign is also being promoted on other Pepsi Web sites such as www.PepsiUSA.com. A company spokesperson said the Pepsi DJ Division talent will also have specialized “Month in the Mix” graphics added to their MySpace profiles before the launch and will promote the events through their individual official Web sites.
