Mountain Dew / The Dark Knight Rises Promotion

When it comes to sales promotions, packaging is able to engage customers in ways other marketing media can't touch. It has a unique ability to build bridges between the physical product and virtual experiences using on-pack, high-tech tools. Add some visual arresting package graphics to the technological bells and whistles, and promotional success is virtually assured.

Pepsico, Purchase, N.Y. is leveraging both digital technology and an advanced package-printing technique in its "Dark Knight" promotion for Mountain Dew. The promotion leverages "The Dark Knight Rises," a Batman movie which premiered in late July.

At the promotional website (www.DewGothamCity.com), Mountain Dew fans can access exclusive content, including sneak peeks of the film. While there, they can enter product codes found on 20 ounce bottles, 2 liter Mountain Dew bottles, and 12 pack cans to earn points redeemable for "Dark Knight" products and to enter a sweepstakes.

In addition, Pepsico created an eye-grabbing, limited time package for 16 ounce cans of Mountain Dew. The Bat signal is printed on the cans with thermochromic ink; the bat shape changes from silver to "Dew green" when the cans are chilled.

One thing that Mountain Dew and "The Dark Knight" franchise have in common is passionate fans. The partnership with "The Dark Knight Rises" and Mountain Dew is all about bringing those fans together.

The promotion includes a limited time flavor called Mountain Dew Dark Berry, point of purchase materials, traditional media advertising, and what a senior marketing manager at Pepsi calls "retailtainment" displays.

Information from www.pepsico.com