NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo this week embarks on a four-continent digital tour as a key sponsor and participant of Social Media Week, the annual global digital event that connects people, content and conversations around emerging trends in social and mobile media.

"Social Media Week has become a premier global stage and launch-pad for news—and a unique opportunity to collaborate with digital leaders in key global markets," said PepsiCo Global Director of Digital and Social Media Bonin Bough, who will keynote Social Media Week in Sao Paolo and the closing conference event in New York.

PepsiCo's support of Social Media Week started with the inaugural event in 2009 and has grown each year. This year more than 30 PepsiCo employees are participating in panel discussions and keynote addresses in cities around the world.

In New York, PepsiCo is paying special attention to women at Social Media Week, launching PepsiCo Women's Inspiration Network—PepsiCo WIN—an online interactive network offering a global female perspective of inspiration and idea sharing through experts, influencers and real women around the world. Experience PepsiCo WIN at www.pepsicowin.com.

Echoing the focus of the new online community, PepsiCo is convening three panel discussions on issues important to women, including creating online nutrition forums, generating women audiences for films and creating brand advocacy among women via social networking; and partnering with Change the Ratio, an organization dedicated to promoting the involvement of women in the tech space, to celebrate women-run digital start-ups. Excerpts from the panels as well as interviews with the expert panelists will be featured on PepsiCo WIN.

"PepsiCo's support for Social Media Week is more than just its global sponsorship. PepsiCo panel participants and curated content from the company have consistently been some of the most compelling of our global gatherings," said Toby Daniels, Founder and Executive Director of Social Media Week. "We are proud to again partner."

Last year, Pepsi launched the Pepsi Refresh Project (PRP) at Social Media Week. The social media-based marketing and community program has since generated more than 60 million consumer votes and provided more than 200 community grants. In 2011, the PRP will expand to new countries around the world, giving even more people the opportunity to improve their communities through good ideas.

Find a full list of Social Media Week events at http://socialmediaweek.org.

About PepsiCo

PepsiCo offers the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generates more than $1 billion in annual retail sales.  Our main businesses - Frito-Lay, Quaker, Pepsi-Cola, Tropicana and Gatorade - also make hundreds of other nourishing, tasty foods and drinks that bring joy to our consumers in more than 200 countries.  With annualized revenues of nearly $60 billion, PepsiCo's people are united by our unique commitment to sustainable growth, called Performance with Purpose.  By dedicating ourselves to offering a broad array of choices for healthy, convenient and fun nourishment, reducing our environmental impact, and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture, PepsiCo balances strong financial returns with giving back to our communities worldwide.  In recognition of its continued sustainability efforts, PepsiCo was named for the third time to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index (DJSI World) and for the fourth time to the Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index (DJSI North America) in 2009. For more information, please visit www.pepsico.com.

SOURCE PepsiCo