PEPSI'S WEB-SMART THRUST INTO CHINA

摘要

On a stage built in a disused Shanghai factory, a young bassist paces nervously, a stainless steel bicycle chain dangling from his belt. As his group prepares to perform for a standing-room-only crowd, a bandmate tilts his hat over one eye, doing his best to look like Justin Timberlake. Welcome to Pepsi's Battle of the Bands. The American Idol-stylerntelevision show is a big component of the company's brand -building efforts in China. Some 6,000 bands tried out for 10 spots on the show, which was broadcast nationwide and streamed to Pepsi's Web site. The winner, a five -piece combo from Tianjin called Focus Point, got $30,000, a trip to a Los Angeles recording studio, a car, and a role in a Pepsi TV ad.