PURCHASE, N.Y., Nov. 6, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- People who gift cash for the holidays get a bad reputation for being lazy and thoughtless – but not only are they #winning for skipping endless retail lines and the possibility of gifting a future return, but they are giving people the power to buy what they actually want. Pepsi knows cash is the best gift you can give or get, that's why this year the Brand is celebrating those unapologetic cash givers, by giving them - and everyone - one more way to gift it forward. Introducing "Gift it Forward with Pepsi," a new holiday tradition, where Pepsi is giving away hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to enable fans and consumers to spread some holiday cheer to their friends, family and causes that are near and dear to them.

Through unique QR codes found across 12 packs of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Zero Sugar, Wild Cherry Pepsi  and Pepsi Vanilla, as well as Pepsi Mini Can 15 and 10 packs, fans will try their luck at a digital scratch-off game – if three Pepsi globes are revealed, there is a cash prize ranging from $5 to $25,000 that can then be instantly gifted to a friend or a charity. Whether it's gifted to friends, family members, teachers, or to fulfill outstanding IOUs, Pepsi wants you to gift the money forward and spread some holiday cheer!

How "Gift it Forward with Pepsi" Works (subject to Official Rules found at GiftWithPepsi.com): 

• SCAN:  Scan QR codes on specially-marked packs of Pepsi by 12/31/19.
• MATCH TO WIN:  Match three Pepsi Globe icons on your digital scratch card to win a cash prize to be gifted.
• GIFT:  Gift your prize to whoever you choose, or you can also donate to charity.

"While the holidays have always been known as the season of giving, finding the right gift to give has always been an underlying stress for people.  Our 'Gift it Forward with Pepsi' program is all about disrupting the typical ways that people go about holiday gift giving by enabling people to unapologetically give the gift of cash, adding a new dynamic to the overall holiday experience," said Todd Kaplan, VP of Marketing, Pepsi. "So, whether you gift your winnings to a friend, a family member, or someone else, Pepsi wants to make it easier for you to get into the gifting spirit this holiday season."

Additional Information on "Gift it Forward with Pepsi:"

• "Gift it Forward with Pepsi" National Charity:  In addition to gifting cash prizes to another person, people can also choose to spread some extra good this holiday season and gift it forward to Pepsi's longstanding charitable partner, the United Way, a national non-profit organization that fights for the health, education and financial stability of every person in every community.
  
  
• "Gift it Forward with Pepsi" Cash Cam during select NFL and NHL Games:  Pepsi is leveraging its existing, long-standing partnerships with the NHL and NFL (and subsequent teams), to surprise fans at a number of games with the opportunity to give the gift of cash with "Gift it Forward Cash Cam," a unique twist on the "kiss cam." At select NHL and NFL games, Pepsi will pick one Pepsi fan in the crowd and broadcast them on the jumbotron where they will make the decision to either keep cash for themselves or gift forward 10X the amount of cash to another row in the stadium - while the entire arena or stadium watches! The "Gift it Forward with Pepsi" Cash Cam will be live at select games across the following teams:  Miami Dolphins, Washington Redskins, New York Giants, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys, St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche.
  
  
• "Gift it Forward with Pepsi" partnership with iHeartMedia and Elvis Duran & The Morning Show: Pepsi is partnering with iHeartMedia's Elvis Duran & The Morning Show to give listeners the opportunity to win a once-in-a-lifetime experience this holiday season. Each week throughout November and December, Elvis will receive a "gift" from a variety of artists, celebrities and friends that he will then "gift forward" to one of his listeners. Additionally, over 52 local iHeartMedia radio stations will also participate in the campaign and encourage listeners across the country to get involved. 
  
  
• "Gift if Forward with Pepsi" weekly grand prize drawing:  Every person that plays "Gift it Forward with Pepsi" and registers for an account on the program's site, will automatically be entered into a weekly Grand Prize Drawing; eight lucky winners will get the chance to explore Puerto Rico for four days, all expenses paid, with roundtrip flights on Pepsi partner JetBlue and hotel accommodations courtesy of Marriott.

For more information and to check out how people are gifting it forward, fans can visit GiftwithPepsi.com and to stay up-to-date on "Gift it Forward" news, follow Pepsi on Instagram and Twitter.

ABOUT PEPSICO 
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $64 billion in net revenue in 2018, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. "Winning with Purpose" reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com. 

SOURCE PepsiCo