LUCKY USES SKI AND PEPSI PROMOTION WITH COUPONS TO GIVE VOLUME A LIFT

AMITY K. MOORE

SAN LEANDRO, Calif. -- Lucky Stores here has taken to the slopes with a promotion involving Pepsico, Purchase, N.Y., and two ski resorts in California.

A two-page ad in Lucky's Smart Shopper's Buying Guide encouraged consumers to "Save up to $10 on Lift Tickets" at Bear Valley and Sierra at Tahoe ski resorts. To receive a coupon at checkout, shoppers must buy a 9-ounce bag of Tostitos and a 2-liter bottle of Pepsi. Coupons can be redeemed at either resort.

Lucky's declined to comment on the promotion, and Pepsico could not be reached for comment.

Ted Austin, a spokesman for Sierra at Tahoe, said he did not have information about how many coupons have been redeemed so far this year. He did comment on last year's promotion results: "The program last year did redeem about 30,000 individual coupons, which we deemed a great redemption."

This is the second time Sierra has been involved with this promotion, and Austin said it will probably be involved again next year.

A spokeswoman for Bear Valley said this is at least the second time, if not the third, that the ski resort has worked with the supermarket chain. "It's been very successful," she said.

The promotion runs through March 31.