ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 6, 2006--Remember the theme, the phrase, the music ... "Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane. No it's ...." Come this February, consumers may find themselves saying, "Look, coming down the road, it's a car, it's a giant cup. No it's Cup Man in an eco-friendly vehicle ready to take on take on a higher purpose ... traverse the country for all things good for you and good for the planet. The "Cup Man," the long-standing icon from Planet Smoothie, one of the country's most sought after smoothie concepts and an Entrepreneur Magazine top-ranked franchise, will become the center of the universe next month when consumers discover they can submit a one-minute audition to www.planetsmoothie.sharkle.com in hopes of taking a front seat to this cross country healthy, green adventure. Enthusiasts need only demonstrate why they believe they can take on not only the role of Cup Man, but the Cup Man's alter ego, who writes a Daily Blog for, you guessed it, the Daily Planet.

Fueled in part by a menu of smoothies from Planet Smoothie, blended right off the utility of the Cup Man' vehicle, the Cup Man will mix up the consumption diet thanks to lead sponsor SoBe whose line of herbal enhanced beverages will come in handy as the Cup Man covers more than 3,000 miles, departing Orlando, Florida in late February and powering down in San Diego, California sometime in late March. Cup Man will start his mornings with any one of four new coffee smoothies. In each market, the Cup Man mission is to find something "Good for You and Good for the Planet."

"Planet Smoothie is the quintessential viral brand and the 'Cup Man' character is well positioned to take on this superhero-like role in pursuit of what it believes are things - food, products, experiences, practices and lifestyles -- that are good for you and good for the planet," explains Chris McCracken, vice president of Planet Smoothie. "It's a great platform to engage the consumer, have some fun and shed some light on the positive practices taking place on the planet."

First, interested candidates need only apply via online user generated content platform provider, ViTrue, Inc., specifically, on its highly popular video sharing site, Sharkle.com or directly at www.planetsmoothie.sharkle.com.

Candidate Requirements

Candidates are required to submit a one-minute video of why they feel they would make the best Cup Man. Before submitting however, Planet Smoothie encourages candidates to read the fine print. MUST BE ABLE TO HIT THE ROAD FOR 30 DAYS SEEKING EXPERIENCES AND PRACTICES THAT ARE GOOD FOR YOU AND GOOD FOR THE PLANET. In each of the 20 or so stops from Orlando to San Diego, the Cup Man's alter ego will appear as a Blogger for the Daily Planet, uploading its experiences via video and a blog. Don't be surprised to find the Cup Man picking fruit in the middle of an organic farm in Georgia, discovering a biodiesel plant in Kentucky or blending the first smoothie from the back of an electric vehicle in the middle of the Arizona dessert.

The Cup Man will hit the road in February with anticipated cheers from an electrified Planet Smoothie community who will be in Orlando for the concept's annual Planet Smoothie conference. For making the cross-country trek, the Cup Man stands a chance of taking home its own Planet Smoothie franchise, an electric-powered scooter and a supply of healthy beverages for a long time.

Search Details

In addition to finding out about the Cup Man Quest online, consumers can look for information at 120-plus Planet Smoothies stores across the country. Information will become available during the month of December and consumers can submit their video through mid-January. Throughout the program, consumers will have a chance to win good for you and good for the planet prizes and coupons.

"'The Good for You. Good for the Planet' message speaks to our brand and our socially responsible SoBe enthusiasts," explains Sam Jones, Director of Foodservice, SoBe. "We believe that The Cup Man's Quest is one of the more dynamic opportunities to engage our brand and the public at large."

About Planet Smoothie

Planet Smoothie is a health-conscious brand featuring fresh fruit smoothies infused with vitamins and nutrients for active, occasion-driven consumers. Founded in Atlanta in 1995 by highly successful fast-casual entrepreneur Martin Sprock, Planet Smoothie is the original concept in the Raving Brands portfolio.

About Raving Brands

Founded in 2000, Atlanta-based Raving Brands is a multi-brand restaurant franchise company with nine different brands including Moe's Southwest Grill, Shane's Rib Shack, and Planet Smoothie. The company was ranked #1 in Fast Casual magazine's "2005 Top 100 Movers and Shakers." The company's flagship brand, Moe's Southwest Grill, is a 2005 Inc. magazine Top 25 Company, was rated 6th in Fast Casual magazine's "2005 Top 100 Movers and Shakers" and was Nation's Restaurant News' 2004 Hot Concepts! award winner. Collectively, Raving Brands expects to operate more than 1,000 locations of its brands nationwide by 2009. For additional information on the company and its concepts, visit www.ravingbrands.com.

About SoBe

SoBe is a separate operating unit of Pepsi-Cola North America. Purchase, N.Y.-based Pepsi-Cola North America (www.pepsi.com) is the refreshment beverage unit of PepsiCo, Inc., in the United States and Canada. Established in 1995, Norwalk, CT-based South Beach Beverage Company produces and markets a line of ready-to-drink, non-carbonated juice blends, exotic teas, Energy Drinks and Vitamin Enhanced water under the brand name, "SoBe". All SoBe Beverages combine great taste with herbs, minerals, vitamins and other nutrient enhancers.

For more information, visit the SoBe web site at www.SoBebev.com or call the Lizard Line at 1-800-588-0548.

Copyright Business Wire 2006

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