Influx

Pepsi must have dozens of agencies working on its behalf to bring it new ideas on a regular basis, but it appears the brand isn’t content relying on these guys for its tech ideas, so it’s created its own forum for technologists to bring their ideas directly to the brand.

The PepsiCo 10 is a two-day event, today is day two, where an invited set of tech companies get a shot at presenting their ideas to the company.

Here’s how they describe it.

“PepsiCo will to bring together PepsiCo brand
marketers, venture capital and media partners, category specialists
and thought leaders for a two-day idea exchange on media, communications
and technology.

The group will assess presentations from 20 finalist entrepreneurs and choose the PepsiCo10 from among them. Up to 10 entrepreneurs will be named the PepsiCo10 following the Summit’s end and offered the opportunity to pursue a pilot project with a PepsiCo brand team.

In addition to entrepreneur presentations and judging, the PepsiCo10 Summit will include keynote addresses from top media, communications and technology visionaries.”

As you can see from this video- the initiative is being driven by Pepsi’s media, social media and digital technology guys.

It’s interesting to see a brand make such direct moves and it’s not doing it alone- helping them are; Mashable (for the coverage carrot) and Highland Capital Partners (for that all important cash).

Clearly there’s a lesson here for agencies to find forums and opportunities to bring the best external thinking in the rapidly developing tech space to their clients attention

Posted by Ed Cotton