Doritos Joins With Three Time Grammy-Award Winner will.i.am and Interscope Geffen A&M Records in Search for Unsigned Talent

Doritos Joins With Three Time Grammy-Award Winner will.i.am and Interscope Geffen A&M Records in Search for Unsigned Talent

Aspiring Artists Invited to Submit Their Original Music Online Today For the Chance to Have Their Song Performance Air During Super Bowl XLII

PLANO, Texas, Nov. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The Doritos brand announced today that three time GRAMMY-Award winning musician, songwriter and producer will.i.am and Interscope Geffen A&M Records are partnering with the brand in its nationwide search for an undiscovered musical act. With the submission Web site now live, Doritos is inviting unsigned artists to submit an original song that is, like Doritos tortilla chips, inspired by the musician's passion and creativity based on his or her own bold or intense experiences, for a chance to have their song air during the Super Bowl XLII broadcast. In addition to having their "big break" on one of the world's largest stages, the winner will also receive a record deal with Interscope Geffen A&M Records.

Fans can compete for the stage of a lifetime by posting a video of themselves performing their own original song, and an audio file of the same song, at http://www.snackstrongproductions.com/ now through November 25, 2007. will.i.am, along with Jack Joseph Puig, A&R Executive Vice President and Producer for Geffen Records, and Ryan O'Donnell, A&R Executive for Interscope Geffen A&M Records, will serve on a panel of judges to select the 10 semi-finalists, with the three finalists and the ultimate grand prize winner being decided by two rounds of consumer voting.

"We are not looking for the new Doritos jingle, we are looking to entertain the fans we love during the Super Bowl with a great song and a great performance from any genre," said Ann Mukherjee, group vice president, marketing, Frito-Lay. "In our search for the most bold and intense unsigned musical act out there, we wanted to partner with music industry veterans who would share our vision for what it takes to rock the unmatched Super Bowl stage. As part of a panel of qualified judges, will.i.am and executives at Interscope Geffen A&M Records will leverage their knowledge and passion for music to help us celebrate the incredible talent of our fans who are just waiting to be discovered."

As the front man and producer behind the multi-platinum group The Black Eyed Peas, will.i.am has helped steer them into one of the most popular groups in music. On his own, will.i.am has developed into a highly revered, sought-after musician, songwriter and producer, and has recently released his new solo album Songs About Girls.

Known for his ability to merge the sounds of the past three decades to create something that is thoroughly modern, GRAMMY-Award winning Jack Joseph Puig has produced hits for Snow Patrol, Weezer, Sheryl Crow, Counting Crows, No Doubt, Mary J. Blige, Black Eyed Peas and Common, among others. Calling L.A.'s Ocean Way studios home, Puig has spent time both as an A&R record executive and as a producer. Ryan O'Donnell is an A&R executive for Interscope Geffen A&M Records who has worked with the Pussycat Dolls, and currently has several acts in development as well as the upcoming debut from producer Sean Garrett.

"This music challenge is yet another opportunity for us to bring new undiscovered talent to our company, said Steve Berman, President of Sales & Marketing, Interscope Geffen A&M Records. "We're always looking for new opportunities to help fans discover music and Doritos has provided a unique stage for us to do that."

The 10 semi-finalists will be revealed online in December, and consumers will then vote to determine which three performers make it to the final round. Fans will then again vote online among the three finalists, to determine which music act will have its music video aired during a commercial break on the Super Bowl XLII broadcast on FOX on Feb. 3, 2008 and win a record deal with IGA. The three finalists will each be awarded $10,000 and a trip to Phoenix to attend the Doritos Super Bowl party.

Combining the legacies of three of the most influential record labels in modern music history, Interscope Geffen A&M Records embarked on a new tradition of musical achievement with its unification on January 1, 1999. Headed by Chairman Jimmy Iovine, Interscope Geffen A&M is a major force in global music, developing chart-topping artists across a wide range of musical genres including rock, rap, pop and alternative. Interscope Geffen A&M Records is part of Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company.

Frito-Lay North America is the $10 billion convenient foods division of PepsiCo, which is headquartered in Purchase, NY. In addition to Frito-Lay, PepsiCo divisions include Pepsi-Cola, Quaker Foods, Gatorade and Tropicana.

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Source: Frito-Lay North America

CONTACT: Jared Dougherty of Frito-Lay, +1-972-334-2044,
jared.dougherty@fritolay.com

Web site: http://www.snackstrongproductions.com/

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Profile: International Entertainment