:: rides in like the Lone Riiiiidah :: 
AHHPOO:
'Teens asked for it, helped to create it and, beginning this week, they'll be able to get it in stores across the United States.
The "it" in question is Pepsi Blue, the latest in a series of successful soft drink innovations from Pepsi-Cola North America (PCNA), including Mountain Dew Code Red, Pepsi Twist and Sierra Mist.
Answering teenagers' call for a berry-flavored, blue-hued cola, PCNA bottlers this week are beginning to deliver Pepsi Blue to store shelves across the country. Full national distribution, in 20-ounce and 1-liter bottles, is expected by August 5.
"Consumers, retail customers and our bottlers are incredibly excited about Pepsi Blue," said PCNA Chief Marketing Officer Dave Burwick. "It looks and tastes unlike anything else on the market, and we believe it can redefine and grow the cola category, particularly among teens – the next generation of cola consumers."
Hundreds of thousands of teens and young adults have tried Pepsi Blue over the past six weeks at youth-oriented sampling venues and special events in major markets. An underground Internet advertising campaign also has generated click-through rates far above industry norms.
Nine months in the making, Pepsi Blue was one of more than 100 cola fusion concepts tested by PCNA's innovation and R&D groups. It was the resounding choice among thousands of teens, two-thirds of whom said they would purchase Pepsi Blue regularly when available.
Pepsi Blue on the Internet
Pepsi Blue (
www.pepsiblue.com) is the official online sponsor of the 2002 MTV Video Music Awards Viewer’s Choice Award and of the Last Fan Standing contest. Fans can log on to
www.mtv.com to cast votes for both. This relationship is featured on the Pepsi Blue web site along with a brief "film" introducing Pepsi Blue, details on some of the nation's largest auto shows (where Pepsi Blue sampling is taking place), and pepsiblue.com's "beat box" section.'
From
http://www.spudart.org/pepsiblue/