PepsiCo Inc. is revamping a charitable-giving program, Pepsi Refresh, created to boost its corporate image and sales of its flagship cola but marred by complaints of vote-rigging and other irregularities, according to The Wall Street Journal.
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Editor's Insight: It certainly is not surprising that a big company would have to fine tune a massive outreach initiative. This project has gained a huge following nationwide and marks one of the most successful public relations initiatives in U.S. business history.
It further demonstrates the power of social media to build brand awareness. More than 76 million votes have been cast and thousands of local newspapers and TV stories have reported on it.
Some analysts claim that the PR effort strayed too far from promoting sales. The fact remains that the campaign has won PepsiCo immeasurable exposure, which translates into stronger sales. 01-31-11 Elliot Maras
