SIX of Saudi Arabia's top sport personalities have teamed up as part of a new campaign to inspire the Saudi youth and celebrate their unity. Titled "Hand in Hand, We Can", the initiative aims to support the wave of positivity among the youth in Saudi Arabia and invite them to share their stories of achievement. The six athletes — football fan favorites Taisir Al-Jassim, Nawaf Al Abed and Yahya Al-Shehri, karate champion Emad Al Malki, kickboxing champion Hala Alhamrani, and certified female power athlete Amal Ba'atiyah — have embraced their role as ambassadors for the region, enticing their fans and followers to become part of this campaign. Pepsi in Saudi Arabia recently introduced the campaign with an inspiring advertisement that brought the six national athletes together for the first time, highlighting the sporting champions' successes to celebrate Saudi youth's unity. As part of the ‘Hand in Hand, We Can' initiative, Pepsi is also set to build the biggest digital screen in the KSA. Young Saudi nationals can share their message of personal achievement and national pride on the screen by using the hashtag in their social media posts. Additionally, consumers can use the hashtag with the geo-targeted filter on Pepsi Arabia's recently launched Snapchat account to join the campaign. Inspired by the collective conversation generated through this activity, a Saudi Arabian artist and singer-songwriter will compose the Kingdom's first crowd-sourced national song. During a meet and greet event with the athletes that took place on Wednesday at the Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh, the football star Taisir Al-Jassim said: "Just like being part of a team, being part of the Saudi Arabian youth gives me a sense of belonging, and I am very glad for the opportunity to share my story on such a wide platform. I'm delighted to be part of this project and inspire others to share their own stories to help create a song that truly reflects the spirit of our nation." Commenting on the campaign, Hossam Dabbous, MENA vice president beverage category PepsiCo, said it is a great initiative. Ibrahim Zeinelabdin, MENA senior marketing manager, colas development at PepsiCo International said: "Pepsi has always prided itself on having a finger on the pulse of the youth. Riding on the wave of positivity among the Saudi youth, this campaign is aimed at encouraging and inspiring them on their path to success. We are delighted to partner with such renowned athletes who are local icons to celebrate the unified voice of the Saudi youth." PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers 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. At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose —goal to deliver top-tier financial performance while creating sustainable growth and shareholder value.
