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As the Force turns to the dark side, Pepsi is launching a new Diet Pepsi advertising campaign and online promotion, which each centre around Yoda.

Pepsi is offering more than $1m in prizes up in its Star Wars' Beloved online sweepstakes. In addition, Pepsi will partner with Cadbury Schweppes 7-Eleven to offer Darth Dew Slurpee.

The new diet Pepsi ad starring Yoda, created by BBDO New York and called "Jedi Mind Trick", will begin airing in May and features the same award-winning special effects that Industrial Light & Magic creates for Star Wars.

Set in a diner, Yoda sits at the counter and uses the Force to try to get a Diet Pepsi to drink with his meal. The ad also features a special appearance by walking rug Chewbacca, who makes an appearance in the final movie as George Lucas ties up the loose ends in the Star Wars saga.

Dave Burwick, chief marketing officer of Pepsi-Cola North America, said: "'Revenge of the Sith' is already the most talked-about movie of the year and Yoda is one of the most beloved movie characters of all time, so we're very excited that he is the cornerstone of our promotion and our new Diet Pepsi commercial."

Star Wars fans are being offered three ways to play the "Call Upon Yoda" instant-win sweepstakes: online, by phone, or by text messaging to see if they have won one of 10 grand prizes.

Other prizes include Star Wars toys and games from Hasbro and Lego, which has just released its new Stars Wars Lego game for the PlayStation2.

The sweepstakes also include other favourite characters Darth Vader, C3PO and R2-D2 via unique web-based interactive games and phone and text messaging game.

Yoda encourages fans to achieve success via the Jedi Training Games and the Intergalactic Translator at the sweepstakes website.

In 'Revenge of the Sith' the Clone Wars, which began in the last movie 'Attack of the Clones', are at their height as the rift between Chancellor Palpatine, played by Ian McDiarmid, and the Jedi Council grows.

Hayden Christensen's Anakin Skywalker completes his move to the dark side and gives his allegiance to the Chancellor Palpatine and emperor in waiting as the two destroy the Jedi, leading to a climatic lightsabre battle between Skywalker, now known as Darth Vader, and his former master Ewan McGregor's Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Jim Ward, vice-president of marketing and distribution for Lucasfilm, said: "When 'Revenge of the Sith' hits theatres in less than two months, Star Wars fans will finally get the answers to all their burning Star Wars questions."

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