S Club 7 sign with Pepsi

S Club 7: Joining the Pepsi generation

Teen sensations S Club 7 have been signed up to promote Pepsi after promising they will not be involved in any more scandals.

Pepsi have been assured by the band that this was an isolated incident

Pepsi spokeswoman

Last month the group's clean-cut image was tarnished after the three male singers were cautioned by police for possessing cannabis.

Pepsi announced that pictures of all seven members will feature on cans and bottles in about six weeks' time.

Pepsi has sponsored a string of pop stars

The value of the contract has not been disclosed.

"Pepsi have been assured by the band that this was an isolated, one-off incident," said a Pepsi spokeswoman.

"Pepsi has chosen S Club 7 as the new faces of Pepsi as they are huge fans of their musical and performing abilities.

"They do not condone the use of drugs but are taking the band at their word."

The group will also be heavily involved with in-store promotions, but will not appear in television commercials.

Past collaborations

S Club 7 will not replace US pop singer Britney Spears as the official face of Pepsi.

Pop princess Britney remains the official face of Pepsi

The group said: "It's going to be weird to open the fridge and see ourselves staring back at us.

"When we think of the huge music stars who have been involved with them in the past it makes us really excited about the deal."

Michael Jackson earned a reported $5m (£3.4m) for his Pepsi collaboration in 1984.

Other recent Pepsi promoters include British pop stars Robbie Williams, the Spice Girls and Boyzone.

Drug bust

On 20 March the three male members of S Club 7, Bradley McIntosh, 18, Paul Cattermole, 24, and Jon Lee, 19, were arrested and cautioned by police for possessing cannabis in Covent Garden, central London.

They later released a statement apologising for being "stupid".

S Club 7's female members - Rachel Stevens, 21, Tina Barratt, 24, Hannah Spearitt, 19, and Jo O'Meara, 24 - were not involved.

Sponsorship

The group have proved attractive to advertisers, and have sponsorship deals with BT and Cadbury's. Both sponsors said last month they were "disappointed" to learn of the drugs cautions.

Cereal firm Quaker Oats played down reports it axed S Club 7 from its Sugar Puffs adverts after the arrests.

It said talks had been held about a link-up, but there had been no definite deal on the table.

S Club 7's first UK tour is due to start in Sheffield on 31 May.

A big-screen film is also in the pipeline, following their successful TV series Miami 7 and LA7.

A new single, Don't Stop Moving, is out in the UK on 23 April. Past hits include Reach and Never Had A Dream Come True.