Dr Pepper Presents Usher Live in Concert

PLANO, Texas (Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages/ www.cadburyschweppes.com) - Dr Pepper will be presenting Usher live in concert in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Saturday, March 5, 2005, announced Andrew Springate, vice president of Dr Pepper marketing. The concert, which will air live on SHOWTIME at 9 pm ET/PT (taped delay on the West Coast), will be Usher's first and only full-length live show on TV in 2005. Filmed in HDTV, it will be part of a SHOWTIME free-preview weekend from March 4-7, 2005.

Dr Pepper will join forces with Showtime Networks in a national advertising, promotional and publicity campaign offering Usher and Dr Pepper fans a chance to win free trips to the concert. In addition, Dr Pepper will merchandise the event through media and retail tie-ins.
"Dr Pepper drinkers are fun-loving and passionate about the things they do in every day life," said Springate, "we feel Usher reflects the same passion through his music and we are thrilled to be associated with him as well as with SHOWTIME," he added.
"We are thrilled that Dr Pepper will be participating in the promotion of the most talked about musical event of the year," said Len Fogge, Showtime Networks' executive vice president, creative and marketing. "Dr Pepper is a terrific brand and our combined promotional resources will surely resonate with consumers," he added.

Usher, who recently received eight Grammy Award nominations including Album of the Year, will perform a 90-minute show featuring his number one singles "Yeah!" and "Burn" along with signature hits such as "You Make Me Wanna" and "You Remind Me." The Dr Pepper/Usher sponsorship was packaged by EMCI New York.