PEPSICO, CHAINS, MAGAZINE TEAM IN SUPER BOWL DRIVE

RICHARD TURCSIK

SOMERS, N.Y. -- Pepsico here teamed with supermarkets and Time Warner magazines nationally to offer a personalized plea for Time subscribers to stock up on Pepsi products for the Super Bowl.

The promotion involved every U.S. Pepsi bottler and more than 1,000 retail accounts. Participating retail companies included ShopRite in the Northeast, Food Lion, Bi-Lo and Winn-Dixie in the South, and Albertson's in Oregon.

The promotion began Jan. 17 and ends this week. It appeared in "Time," "People," "Sports Illustrated" and "Entertainment Weekly." Every subscriber to the magazines received a personalized offer inside each issue (two issues for "Time" subscribers) for free Diet Pepsi products or discounts on party favorites, such as Frito-Lay snacks, appetizers and deli platters, when they purchase multipacks of Pepsi-Cola products. The promotion made separate offers to about 5,400 subscribers.

In addition, a package offer, such as a free 2-liter bottle of Diet Pepsi with the purchase of two 12-packs of Pepsi products, has been appearing in retail store displays nationwide.

"We think that it is an excellent way to reach 10 million subscribers as potential customers," said Chris Romoser, a Pepsi-Cola Co. spokesman. "The goal is to get consumers to fill the fridge."

In one example, a fold-out card in the Jan. 18 issue of "Time" distributed in the New York metro area read, "Hey [subscriber's name]! Go to ShopRite during our annual Can-Can promotion and save big on Pepsi products. Look in your Can-Can circular for exciting savings and coupons. Remember, ShopRite saves you more money. . . . ShopRite does it right." On the back of the card was a picture of two refrigerator shelves filled with Pepsi products, followed by a full-page Diet Pepsi ad.

For ShopRite's Can-Can promotion, Pepsi created special 12-pack cartons that featured the ShopRite logo. The 12-pack cans were on sale for $2.99. ShopRite and Pepsi also offered a mail-in sweepstakes that awarded a trip for two to Paris.