PURCHASE, New York, May 10, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With the drone industry charged, Mountain Dew® and DR1 Racing, a newly formed drone racing series, announced a global partnership -- the first branded partnership for the drone racing industry. A champion of action sports for more than 20 years, DEW is taking a leadership stance with the drone industry, adding to the firsts: The DR1 Invitational presented by Mountain Dew, which will air this August in the U.S. in a one-hour broadcast special -- the industry's first broadcast, as well as DEW being named the first brand sponsor of a drone racing pilot. Additionally, DR1 will be the first league to globally stream live on Twitch at Twitch.tv/DR1Racing.
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"Mountain Dew is a fast-growing global brand that has continually stood for authentically being a catalyst for a damn good time – no matter what the passion might be," said Carla Hassan, SVP, Global Brand Management, Global Beverage Group, PepsiCo. "Drone racing is an electric space that perfectly embodies the forward-looking, thrill-seeking spirit of DEW Nation. We're excited to partner with DR1 to elevate the sport and the industry to a global level with the power and passion of the DEW Nation behind it."
DR1 Invitational presented by Mountain Dew
The DR1 Invitational presented by Mountain Dew will showcase 12 of the top drone-racing pilots in the world as they compete for the title at the iconic Sepulveda Dam in Los Angeles, California. Pilots, who control drones from the top of the dam, will face down a gauntlet of environmental and man-made obstacles as they fly their drones at speeds of more than 80 MPH while spectators watch on from above. Over the course of two days, the race will be broken up into heats, qualifiers and finals.
"We have seen the popularity of drone racing grow exponentially this past year, and we are excited to bring our own style and format to the sport," said Brad Foxhoven, founder of DR1 Racing and producer of the DR1 Invitational presented by Mountain Dew. "Part of our excitement centers around the 'firsts' that we are bringing to the sport, including a TV broadcast partner, worldwide live streaming through Twitch and the support of several global brands."
More information on the Invitational and DR1 can be found at Twitch.tv/DR1Racing.
Introducing Mountain Dew Drone Pilot
In addition to DR1, Mountain Dew is the first brand to sign and sponsor a drone racing pilot: DR1 drone-racing pilot Tommy "Ummagawd" Tibajia from Huntington Beach, Calif. Tibajia, largely considered to be one of the biggest names in drone racing, has racked up an impressive amount of achievements in the past year, including 1st place in the Drone Nationals in 2015 and 1st place in IDRA California Cup 2015, among others.
"From the first time I put on the goggles, I thought this is exactly what a super hero probably feels like, and I continue to race for the rush," said Tibajia. "I'm thrilled to be representing such an iconic brand as the first DEW drone-racing pilot, and to be racing on their behalf at the inaugural DR1 Invitational."
DR1 on Twitch
DR1 also launched a channel on the streaming platform Twitch at Twitch.tv/DR1Racing. The DR1 channel will live stream the races globally, giving fans a first person view from the drones traveling at high speeds through a myriad of obstacles. The DR1 Twitch channel is also currently live streaming two nights per week with a variety of content supporting DR1 and the drone-racing lifestyle and culture.
"Drone Hunting" Now Exists in Global "Do the DEW" Campaign
The global partnership with DR1 builds upon the brand's earlier venture with the exhilarating sport this year. Combining motocross, hunting and drone racing, Mountain Dew created an exhilarating never-seen-before sport – "Drone Hunting" – that now exists within a new global TV and digital advert. The action-charged commercial anchors a new year of the brand's iconic "Do The DEW" global marketing campaign and introduces the world to a sport that can only be the product of the limitless possibilities of Dew-ers' imaginations. Watch "Drone Hunting" here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zryW3mGUsa0
This year's "Do The DEW" creative is running in multiple countries across four continents, headlining a year-long brand campaign that will reach DEW Nation by way of TV, digital, social media, radio, print and out-of-home channels.
About DR1
DR1 is a world-class drone racing series that combines the best pilots, drones, and locations into one high-octane sports league. Based in Los Angeles, California, DR1 is a global series with the inaugural event, DR1 Invitational presented by Mountain Dew premiering in August on the Discovery Channel. More information can be found at DR1-Racing.com and Twitch.tv/DR1Racing.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $63 billion in net revenue in 2015, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose -- our goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value. In practice, Performance with Purpose means providing a wide range of foods and beverages from treats to healthy eats; finding innovative ways to minimize our impact on the environment and reduce our operating costs; providing a safe and inclusive workplace for our employees globally; and respecting, supporting and investing in the local communities where we operate. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.
