StarMedia and Pepsi Launch Site for LatAm Teens

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (05/24/2000) - StarMedia Network Inc. and Pepsi-Cola International are launching a Web site in Spanish and Portuguese for teenagers in Latin America because almost 50 percent of the region's population is under 19 years of age, the companies announced today.

The site is called Pidemasonline.com, which in English means "ask for more online," and can be reached at http://www.pidemasonline.com/. A version for Puerto Rico is now operating, and versions of what the companies are calling a "virtual teen hang-out" will follow for Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela. Teens in Latin America are tech-savvy, and the Internet is an effective tool to reach them, the companies said.

StarMedia operates a variety of Web sites and portals in Spanish and Portuguese aimed primarily at Latin America. It was the first Internet media company focused on Latin America to go public on Nasdaq in May 1999. Based in New York City, it can be reached at http://www.starmedia.com/. Pepsi-Cola International is a division of PepsiCo Inc., which is based in Purchase, N.Y. PepsiCo markets beverages, including the Pepsi soft drink, and snack food and can be reached at http://www.pepsico.com/.