Pepsi makes Mt Dew for Halo 3 release

+ Adage.com reports on the Pepsi-Cola North America brand releasing a red-hued, citrus-cherry-flavored, limited-edition Mountain Dew that will carry the name of the much-anticipated "Halo 3" for Microsoft's Xbox 360.

Touted as the first soft drink created for and co-branded with a video game, the new Dew is positioned as "game fuel."

[snip]

Pepsi didn't offer many details either. "Gaming is an important component in the marketing efforts for Mountain Dew," a spokeswoman said. "Our goal is to go beyond traditional advertising by creating initiatives that make the brand an integral part of the gaming experience. We have some exciting programs coming this summer."

But according to one bottler, Pepsi expects the product to be "huge." "The college age is a big market for us," he said. The "Halo 3" Dew is expected to be released in August for about three months.

"To be able to tie in with 'Halo' is a coup for Mountain Dew," said Mark Allenbach, director-interactive media and games at Frank N. Magid Associates. "It is considered the killer app for Microsoft, period. ... There is significant cachet with any product associated with it. If you came to me and said, 'I have soda and want to put it with a game,' I don't think it gets much better than putting it with 'Halo 3.'"

Check out images here.