The start of a new year is always a good time to reflect on the past and refresh a bit.  Pepsi has some big plans lined up to do just that.

Launched last year, Pepsi’s Refresh Project is a multimedia campaign allocated to funding consumer projects.  Today, visitors to the website  Refresh Everything can submit ideas they think would better the world.  According to a recent article in PR Week, “Up to 32 grants will be awarded each month in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $250,000—the equivalent of up to $1.3 million monthly. Ideas will be funded in the categories of Arts & Culture, Food & Shelter, The Planet, Education, Health and Neighborhoods.”

Recipients will be determined by voting, which opens on February 1.  But how will this project be promoted?  Bonin Bough, director of social media at Pepsi, states, “Social media is also definitely one of the major platforms.  People will be able to vote via widgets that someone can place on their blog or content that comes up on their Facebook stream or clicking on a link they can send out to their community via Twitter.”

Pepsi also announced that their ads will not be promoted during the Super Bowl, for the first time in 23 years!  Instead, this program is a content partner of If I Can Dream, a reality show by Simon Fuller (American Idol creator), soon to be aired on Hulu.  “It is not just about slapping on a logo and sponsoring something, but how we add value to the entertainment experience,” Bough said. “The series speaks heavily to us supporting social media overall.”

I like Pepsi’s approach, leveraging social media to the max!  What are your thoughts?  Will you submit any refreshing ideas?