Pepsi is celebrating up-and-coming artists by launching a new system that rates their popularity based on social media buzz around them. The iconic soda brand launched The Pepsi Music Index, a live ranking engine which analyses people’s real-time opinions on the performers and presents ‘the feedback’ in a clear ranking. The new system is very similar to the MTV Music Meter launched in mid-December 2010, which also builds a chart of the most popular emerging performers based on real-time discussions about them in the digital world.

PepsiCo announced a partnership with the Downtown DC Business Improvement District (BID) and the District Department of Public Works (DPW) that will make Washington, D.C. the U.S. first city to partner with the Dream Machine recycling initiative. A total of 363 recycling bins will be placed throughout the Downtown DC BID area, offering a convenient and rewarding recycling option for people while they are on-the-go and advancing the BID’s Greening Downtown DC initiative.

The Fast Company magazine presents its new rating of the 50 most innovative companies in the world. In mid-February, they published the 2011 list, giving short descriptions to their picks. Apple scoops first place, pushing the digital giants Twitter, Facebook and Google to the 2nd, 3rd and 6th place correspondingly—with Intel, Microsoft, Linkedin,eBay, IBM and Cisco resting below them. The sport and fashion apparel industry is presented by Burberry (No.13, “for breathing new life into a luxury stronghold”), Nike (No.23, “for its mix of sports, style, and yes, plastic bottles”), Opening Ceremony (No. 28) the food and drinks business has two representatives—PepsiCo (No.33)—“for its ambitious nutrition R&D” and chocolate company Madécasse (No.50).