MTV and Pepsi offer Drink Up, Rock Out sweepstakes and band competition

Today, MTV and MTV Games, a part of Viacom’s MTV Networks (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B) and Pepsi announced a multi-platform “Drink Up, Rock Out” promotion that will give away thousands of Rock Band® DLC music tracks and games. Music lovers and gamers nationwide will be able to win prizes instantly and will have the opportunity to participate in the first-ever Pepsi Rock Band music video contest that will award one talented band a 2009 MTV Video Music Awards Moonman. The summer promotion begins June 2 and continues through the MTV Video Music Awards.

As part of the “Drink Up, Rock Out” promotion, fans who see a Rock Band icon on specially-marked packages of 20-ounce and 1-liter bottles of Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Max and other Pepsi products are encouraged to look under the cap for a code and then go to www.PepsiRockBand.com to enter the code for a chance to win prizes. During the promotion, MTV and Pepsi will give away a Rock Band®2 Special Edition bundle every hour and thousands of Rock Band downloadable tracks each day. Additionally, fans can enter a weekly sweepstakes for opportunities to win a trip to a Harrah’s Entertainment property, Xbox 360 Consoles and other great prizes.

“MTV’s Rock Band has quickly established a new gaming platform that is extremely popular with music fans and gamers alike,” said Ralph Santana, VP of cola marketing, Pepsi-Cola North America Beverages. “We’re partnering with MTV to bring a new exciting twist to the game that will give one talented band a once-in-a-lifetime experience and a taste of stardom.”

Christina Glorioso, Vice President Marketing Partnerships for MTV Games added: “Pepsi is continuing their long standing tradition of being on the forefront of music with the decision to partner with Rock Band, the genre-defining music game platform that allows music fans and gamers to interact with and discover music like never before. This campaign has something for every Pepsi consumer from those that love to rock to the fans that love to cheer on their favorite bands.”

And for those Rock Band groups who seek fame, Pepsi, Rock Band, and MTV are giving fans the opportunity to win a Moonman for the first time by entering their own Rock Band music video into the competition. Entrants can choose a song from the official competition list – available at www.rockband.com/pepsi and start making their Rock Band music video right now. Music video submissions can be uploaded to www.PepsiRockBand.com where bands and fans will be able to enter, view, rate and vote on their favorite Rock Band music videos. To jump start the promotion, MTV Games is giving hardcore fans, those that upload a music video on the first day of the promotion (June 2 before 6pm EDT), the opportunity to win a trip to Los Angles the very next day to be the house band at the Rock Band booth at E3. Fans must register separately on June 2 to be entered for the chance to win this prize at www.rockband.com/pepsi.

For a shot to win the Moonman, Pepsi Rock Band music video submissions will be accepted June 2 through July 28. Beginning August 8 – September 1, fans take the reins as they vote online and decide the fate of the winning Rock Band band. The winning band will travel to the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, walk the red carpet, receive their very-own Moonman statue, and will be featured in a spot produced by MTV to air the night of the awards show.

The “Drink Up and Rock Out” summer program will also include promotion across MTV Networks channels, including MTV, MTV2, mtvU, VH1, CMT, Spike, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV Land and Nick at Nite.