• May 2, 2002

Microsoft is going the cross-promotional route as it pushes its X-Box game platform for spring and summer. MS announced that it will launch a “strategic promotional movement” with several sports, music and consumer products categories. Key alliances include the Pop Disaster Tour, featuring blink-182 and Green Day; the Number One Parts Inc. (NOPI) drag racing series; Pepsi's new SoBe soft drink Mr. Green; the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP); Vans extreme sports; and Zumiez, a chain of youth-oriented apparel stores.

The green color of X-Box will be utilized in the biggest element of the promotion for Mr. Green, the new Pepsi soft drink under the SoBe trademark. X-Box users and Mr. Green consumers will be able to enter a “rare” green X-Box unit by entering a contest on the Mr. Green website. In addition, X-Box consoles, games and accessories will be given away by three Mr. Green touring vehicles that will travel to 31 cities nationwide offering consumers samples of Mr. Green for approximately 20 weeks.