Nation’s #1 Latin pizza brand will bring the nostalgic Pepsilindros promotion to the U.S. for the first time
DALLAS – April 18, 2010 – Starting April 18, Pizza Patrón, the nation’s number one Latin pizza brand, will bring one of Pepsi’s most popular and nostalgic Latin American promotions to the U.S. for the first time ever. Celebrating its aniversario de plata (silver anniversary), the company will offer a commemorative beverage bottle bearing the image of the well-loved Hispanic icon, Cantinflas, as part of a combo meal deal.
Fortino Mario Alfonso Moreno Reyes was a Mexican comedian and actor known professionally as Cantinflas. As a pioneer of cinema in Mexico, he ushered in the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Cantinflas is often compared to the equally loved Groucho Marx character, in that both used comedic cunning, skill and well-timed deliveries to poke at the wealthy and powerful, often shedding light on injustices of the day.
“I would have to say that just about everyone of Hispanic descent knows and loves Cantinflas,” said Edgar Padilla, marketing manager of Pizza Patrón. “On the other hand, when Pepsi ran its Pepsilindros promotion in Mexico in the early 1990’s using very popular cartoon characters, it became one of their most successful promotions in history. In fact, many people collected and still have the Pepsilindros items as nostalgic memorabilia. We believe that using Cantinflas image on our Pepsilindros will emulate the success that happened 20 years ago.”
Starting April 18, customers will be able to purchase the $16 SILVER COMBO meal that includes one x-large specialty pizza, one x-large pepperoni pizza, one 2-liter Pepsi® product, a Pepsilindro bottle featuring Cantinflas image and an instant-win scratch card. Every scratch card is a winner and includes prizes such as home theater systems, DVD sets of Cantinflas movies, free food and beverages, and the collectible Cantinflas Pepsilindro bottles.
“Pepsi Beverages Company is thrilled to partner with Pizza Patrón for this exciting promotion. The chain is a great partner,” said Jesús G. Díaz, multicultural customer marketing manager for the PBC South business unit. “Celebrating the beloved Cantinflas and bringing back the Pepsilindro bottles is a fun way to celebrate Pizza Patrón’s 25th anniversary. It also helps us directly connect with our Hispanic consumers, by bringing back memories of the Pepsi brand they know and love from Mexico and making it relevant again in this country.”
For more information on the promotion, visit www.pizzapatron.com.
Pizza Patrón continues to be a lightning rod for discussion regarding Hispanics in the U.S. The company plans to continue to shape the brand to reflect the contemporary Latin experience in the U.S. today. The Dallas-based pizza chain recently opened its 100th retail location and plans to continue focusing on expanding its retail footprint in new markets through franchising.
About Pizza Patrón
Pizza Patrón, America’s #1 Latin pizza brand, offers traditional pizza, wings and sides in its community based, bicultural stores. Pizza Patrón was founded by restaurateur Antonio Swad in 1986, in Dallas, Texas, and today operates 100 dine-in and carry-outrestaurants in seven states with 40 more under development. Pizza Patrón has franchise opportunities available in prime markets throughout the country offering a proven system for hard-working franchisee candidates. In 2007, the brand received international news coverage when it decided to accept Mexican Pesos at all of its locations, gaining over 500,000,000 media impressions worth over $30 million in the U.S. alone. The company’s medium AMIGO PIZZAS® start as low as $4 and X-Large LISTA-NOW READY™ pepperoni pizzas start as low as $6 all day, every day.
Website – www.pizzapatron.com
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About Pepsi Beverages Company
Pepsi Beverages Company (PBC) is PepsiCo’s beverage manufacturing, sales and distribution operating unit in the United States, Canada and Mexico. PBC handles approximately 75 percent of PepsiCo’s North America beverage volume. Its diverse portfolio includes some of the world’s most widely recognized beverage brands, including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, Aquafina, Gatorade, SoBe, Lipton, and Amp Energy. In many markets, PBC also manufactures and/or distributes non-Pepsi brands, including Dr Pepper, Crush, ROCKSTAR, and Muscle Milk. The operating unit is headquartered in Westchester County, New York and employs approximately 70,000 people. Learn more about PBC at www.pepsico.com/pbc.