PURCHASE, N.Y., Nov 4, 2004 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- This week, Pepsi kicks off the holiday season with the launch of Pepsi Holiday Spice, a festive addition to Pepsi's beverage portfolio that adds a hint of traditional holiday spicy flavors to the great taste of Pepsi-Cola.

Available in 20-ounce bottles, two-liter bottles and 12 packs of 12-ounce cans, the unique taste of Pepsi Holiday Spice will be on shelves throughout the holiday season from now through the end of the year.

From the very first gifts of frankincense and myrrh to the spice cake we enjoy today, spices and the holidays have always gone together. Food and drink are central to the holiday cheer, making Pepsi Holiday Spice the perfect and fun complement to the celebrations.

"We're hoping to add a little extra fun to the holidays," said Dave Burwick, SVP and chief marketing officer of Pepsi-Cola North America. "From its unique, spicy taste to its nostalgic packaging, everything about Pepsi Holiday Spice has been designed to mix fun new twists with the best of old traditions."

A new television commercial will support the launch. Created by BBDO New York, this 15-second commercial features a Pepsi delivery truck driven by four bickering elves desperately trying to navigate the streets of a small town. The ad will run on a broad selection of cable networks including TBS, ESPN, Food Network and Lifetime beginning next week with the seasonally appropriate tagline, "'Tis the Cola."

About Pepsi-Cola North America:

Purchase, N.Y.-based Pepsi-Cola North America (www.pepsi.com) is the $4 billion refreshment beverage unit of PepsiCo Inc. in the United States and Canada. Its U.S. brands include Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Pepsi Edge, Pepsi ONE, Wild Cherry Pepsi, Pepsi Twist, Pepsi Vanilla, Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew Code Red, Mountain Dew LiveWire, Sierra Mist, Mug, Slice, Aquafina, Dole single- serve juices, Tropicana Juice Drinks and SoBe. The company also makes and markets North America's best-selling ready-to-drink iced teas and coffees, respectively, via joint ventures with Lipton and Starbucks.

SOURCE Pepsi-Cola North America