Pepsi, now # 3 soft drink launches "social" Vending Machines

In an attempt to "refresh" the sale of its flagship soft drinks Pepsi and Mountain Dew and other brands, PepsiCo Inc. (NYSE: PEP) is to turn social regulator recovery, consumer nomads. To encourage interactive touch-screen machines people to buy a drink for a friend or relative while they are at the beginning of for themselves.

This particular social experiment does not make or break the soft drink giant - but it is no exaggeration to say Pepsi has run a lot depending on the program. Although 1Q11 sales increased by 27 percent over the previous year with the help of other brands and acquisitions, we have learned in March that sales of its flagship brand Pepsi, fell during the quarter instead of number 3 behind the Coca Cola Company (NYSE: KO) The Coca-Cola and Diet Coke.

How does the soda social scene? Now the machines have a touch-screen keyboard, the buyer may have to type in the recipient's name, phone number and a personal message that a code for the nearest soft drinks include Pepsi dealer cash social. Or if you prefer, you can create a video message with the code - recorded here at the Pepsi machine. The machines allow customers to see the nutritional information of the drink on demand.

Most companies do not like second was from someone or something comfortable to boast, but the rank of Pepsi soft drinks out of that category for decades and is psychologically since losing a stroke.

Machines have social potential to contribute to sales, especially with mobile phone users with new applications, etc. possessed. Pepsi is also valuable personal information about customers and their gift recipient can use it later to win Pepsi products on the market.

The problem is that Pepsi did not say how many machines they use or where they are located. Employees, a common area of ​​the machine stock can be prepared to send a soft drink as a gift, but people in foreign places with Pepsi vending machines may be reluctant. Likewise, gift recipients redeem their drinks no interest, whether related to bypass or a special trip to the social unit retailer. The costs to achieve common with machines are connected, could not hurt margins.

Pepsi has been on again, to be something. Who would have thought Coinstar (NASDAQ: CSTR), have a subsidiary of Red Box is so successful with his idea of ​​renting DVDs via an ATM. Social movements dealers could be the next big thing for soft drink companies in the 21 his century