According to reliable sources in the advertising industry, the company has already shot a television commercial (TVC) with Ms Zinta who is currently a hot favourite with teens.

The TVC -- which is likely to be aired towards the end of this month-has been shot in the locales of South Africa making it the first Indian Pepsi ad shot abroad, sources added.

The Pepsi spokesperson refused to confirm the news, but admitted that ``they have looked at some `bubbly' characters-including Ms Zinta-who could fit in an interesting script. But we have not frozen the issue.''

Giving reasons for choosing Ms Zinta as its new ambassador, a source close to the situation said that in terms of personality, there's a strong connection between her and the brand. ``Though she's not a classic beauty, she's a very strong appeal with her lively and bubbly personality,'' the source added.

Not divulging the theme of the ad featuring her, the source said that the TVC would be rooted in the brand proposition of asking for more life experiences. It will take the `Ask for more/Yeh dil mange more' thought-launched in January 1999-further. The theme has so far moved from movies (February 1999: Shahrukh Khan-Kajol-Rani Mukherjee ad), dreaming more (March 1999: Sachin with his mask ad) and cricket (June 1999: Shahrukh Khan-Sachin Tendulkar); to `real romance' (April 1999: Shahrukh kissing a girl) experiences.

Meanwhile, the company is also scouting for a `fresh face' to star opposite its star endorser Shahrukh Khan in a new TVC, say sources in the ad industry. ``Work is in progress,'' said the source about the new ad with Shahrukh Khan which is likely to be released in January 2001. Pepsi recently signed on three Indian cricketers including Indian cricket captain and current Coke endorser Saurav Ganguly, and budding cricketers Yuvraj Singh and Zaheer Khan for a reported deal of Rs 10 crore. Though the Pepsi spokesperson maintains that the cola giant still hasn't sewn up the deal with Saurav and Zaheer Khan, ad industry sources confirmed the news.

While Yuvraj's pitch for Pepsi has already begun-coinciding with the Pepsi India-Zimbabwe test series 2000, which began on November 18-Pepsi released about five to six 10-sec TVCs featuring Yuvraj and Rahul Dravid. New ads featuring Zaheer Khan will be shot once the series is over. Saurav, currently in a cooling period, will have to wait till January 2001 before he voices his loyalty for Pepsi.