Game on...

With the FIFA World Cup eight days away, Xbox 360, the next generation video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, has found the back of the net with exclusive FIFA World Cup promotions.

First to score is the limited edition Xbox 360 - 2006 FIFA World Cup bundle, which includes the Core System console, an exclusively designed FIFA World Cup face plate, a copy of the 2006 FIFA World Cup game by EA and a replica of the official World Cup match ball to kick around in the park. The exclusive bundle is available now for £259.99.

Download England's official World Cup anthem - 'World at your Feet,' by chart toppers Embrace. The world exclusive of the video is available to download at Xbox Live until the 2nd June. The FA's official band will be hoping for the number one spot when the single is released on the 5th June.

For all the latest World Cup news and gossip direct from Germany, head to www.xbox.com/football. The dedicated football site will include updates on everything from who's suffering from the dreaded broken metatarsal to the Xbox Cup and Xbox 5's. The site also contains daily updates from the Guardian's award winning footy gossip email, the Fiver. It really is the home of football.

The combined strikeforce of Xbox and Britvic have teamed up to create the soft drink firm's biggest ever single focus campaign for Pepsi football. The 'What's in your Locker?' campaign will see an Xbox 360 given away every 90 minutes for the duration of the FIFA World Cup.

The campaign will be promoted across one hundred million cans and is part of a £7 million campaign that launched last month. The 'What's In Your Locker?' promotion will be driven by Pepsi Max's official sponsorship of the England team, with new TV ads featuring England stars David Beckham, John Terry and Paul Robinson.

The on-pack promotion will feature across all Pepsi variants and packs will have their own 'football strip' to maximise impact and capture the spirit of the tournament, extending the promotion to all Pepsi drinkers. In a unique promotion, consumers will have the chance to win the new Xbox 360 entertainment console (RRP £279.99) and game every 90 minutes via a unique text and win code.

Stephen McGill, Head of Marketing Xbox & Games commented: "Forget about Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, we've got the greatest partnership in world football. The strategic partnership of Pepsi and Xbox is one of our biggest and most exciting promotions ever."

Stephen added: "As official console of the FIFA World Cup, World Cup fever has gripped the nation and many fans will be re-creating World Cup moments on the top football titles available on the Xbox 360, the most advanced console on the market."

Commenting on the promotion, Britvic's category director, Andrew Marsden said:

"Our expertise at driving cola sales around football is unsurpassed. Our campaigns stand out from the crowd and 'What's In Your Locker?' It will be instrumental in uniting football fans throughout the summer, instilling Pepsi Max in the hearts and minds of the nation and providing retailers with all the tools they need to maximise sales and profits during this crucial time of year."

A recent survey by Britvic highlighted the nation's obsession with football and the World Cup. The findings showed that 39 per cent of people are more likely to get together to watch an England game than any other. Significantly for retailers stocking promotional Pepsi packs, 42 per cent of the population are more likely to purchase something featuring the England crest1.

Source: 1FA market research - Sponsorship Science - August 2004

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For more information (press only) please contact:
Marie-Claire Suter
UK PR Manager - Xbox & Games For Windows
Tel: +44 (0) 118 909 4599
Email: i-maries@microsoft.com

About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is the most powerful video game and entertainment system, delivering the best games, the next generation of the premier Xbox Live online gaming service, and unique digital entertainment experiences that revolve around gamers. The system was first launched in North America, Europe and Japan in 2005 and then in Australia, Colombia, Hong Kong, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Taiwan in 2006. More information can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/xbox360.