Pepsi - UK - Promotional Cards and Stickers (1999)

Pepsi was definitely one of the bigger producers of promotional trading cards for Episode One during 1999. Pubs, bars, and other stores which sold Pepsi products in the UK were giving away 'pop-up' gamecards with each Pepsi purchase.

These cards are great fun, and different from most of the more traditional trading cards given away in other countries.

The front of the card features a picture of Anakin's head (in podrace gear) above a picture of his podracer. The front, or outside, of every card is the same, making collecting a full set interesting.

When the tab at the top of the card is pulled, the front of the card pops up to reveal a picture of an Episode One character and some text about the character, as well as telling you if you have won a prize (free drink, poster, 'Insider's Guide' CD-ROM sampler etc).

You would think that it would be impossible to find 'un-popped' cards for this set, since determining that you have a set of the cards would seem to require that you open them. Luckily, Star Wars fans are a creative group, and many collectors quickly discovered you could peek at the card inside from the side without opening the card itself. Because there is already a gap at the side of the card, no damage is done, and you can't tell that a card has been checked in this way. Of course, the real fun of these cards is popping them up and having the character on display!

A big thank you to Steve Shore for providing this information.

In a separate Pepsi promotion in the UK, this one in coordination with Walker's crisps, you could obtain seven different stickers and a sheet to put them on with a combined Pepsi/Walker's purchase.