Gareth signs Pepsi deal

Pop Idol loser Gareth Gates today signed his first commercial partnership - a £750,000 deal with Pepsi.

Gates has joined a roll call of some of pop's biggest names in signing a deal with the drinks giant, including Britney Spears, Madonna, The Spice Girls, Ricky Martin and Kylie Minogue.

The signing was today described by Pepsi sources as a "local deal" - and is dwarfed by those of Spears and others.

Gates, 17, said today: "Robbie Williams is one of my ultimate pop icons and I remember seeing his Pepsi advert on TV. Now it's me being signed and I can't believe it. It seems like if you get signed by Pepsi you know you've already arrived."

Karen Goffe, marketing manager of Pepsi, added: "We are thrilled that Gareth is on board."

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