Pepsico supports Arab Idol as part of its commitment to nurturing young talent

Press release

Published February 23rd, 2012 - 09:35 GMT

Farzad Ayoubzadeh from Dubai and Mustafa Taha from Abu Dhabi win trip to attend Grand Finale in Beirut

UAE grand prize winners Farzad Ayoubzadeh from Dubai and Mustafa Taha from Abu Dhabi will be PepsiCo’s guests for MBC’s Arab Idol, one of the most popular musical programs in the Middle East, after each winning one of the two prizes provided by PepsiCo to attend the Grand Finale in Beirut on March 23, 2012.

PepsiCo’s strategic sponsorship of the region’s most spectacular entertainment event stems from its vision of enhancing the quality of popular music by supporting and nurturing artistic talents in the region by giving them the opportunity to develop and emerge.

Commenting on the sponsorship of Arab Idol, Aya Solh, Marketing Manager of Dubai Refreshments Company, the sole franchisee, manufacturer and distributor of Pepsi-Cola products in Dubai, Sharjah and the Northern Emirates, “We are proud to partner with PepsiCo in sponsoring Arab Idol 2012, the biggest program to hit the region’s TV screens in recent years, and capturing the attention of viewers across the entire Middle East. PepsiCo’s products are preferred and consumed by people across the region, very similar to the audience adulation that Arab Idol enjoys, with plenty of anticipation among audiences who want to see their favorite singer be crowned the winner.”

Zahi El Masri, General Manager of Abu Dhabi Refreshment Company, PepsiCo’s other franchisee bottler in the UAE added, “We fully support PepsiCo’s commitment to nurturing the region’s talented young artists and giving them the chance to make a career breakthrough. We were amazed with the talent displayed by the contestants, who excelled in the program’s auditions impressing the jury and audience alike with some great vocals.”

In addition to the all expenses paid trip to Beirut to attend the Grand Finale of Arab Idol 2012 for the top two UAE grand prize winners, thousands of smart phones and latest electronic games are still up for grabs by other lucky winners. The promotional campaign is still running and one more participant still stands the chance of winning a free trip to Beirut.

PepsiCo’s sponsorship of this highly popular entertainment event is part of its continuous commitment to support young talents and strengthen the region’s artistic culture. The social and cultural initiatives undertaken by PepsiCo are an important part of the company’s efforts to serve the community and contribute to the process of social evolution within the framework of local culture.

The Idol program is hugely popular with TV audiences throughout the world following its tremendous success in Great Britain where it premiered in 2001 under the name “Pop Idol”. Since then the program has become a global phenomenon with a large number of viewers in countries including USA (where it is known as American Idol), Finland, Sweden, Slovakia, Australia and India, and is now being enjoyed by viewers across the Middle East in its newest version as Arab Idol.

Background Information

Pepsi Cola International

In 1965, Donald Kendall, the CEO of Pepsi-Cola, and Herman Lay, the CEO of Frito-Lay, recognized what they called “a marriage made in heaven,” a single company delivering perfectly-salty snacks served alongside the best cola on earth. Their vision led to what quickly became one of the world's leading food and beverage companies: PepsiCo.

For more than 50 years, as tastes, trends and lifestyles have changed, PepsiCo has evolved with them. Our willingness to adapt and grow has transformed our snack and soda company into a collection of global brands including Pepsi and Quaker, Gatorade and Tropicana, Frito-Lay and beyond. Today, PepsiCo is one of the world’s most-respected companies with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories and 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.