With all the beautiful gowns and equally beautiful people on display at the Academy Awards this March, PepsiCo is promoting guilt-free snacking as the theme of the night with two contests designed to appeal to Oscar watchers.

The first is a partnership with YummyMummy.com, the sassy site dedicated to parenting issues, on the ‘Oscar Red Carpet Contest’ promoting Frito Lay’s new Smartfood Popcorn Clusters. The contest invites Canadian women to vote on who they think will win various award categories for the chance to win a $1,000 shopping spree at a Cadillac Fairview mall. Participants are also invited to weigh in on their favourite new Smartfood Popcorn Cluster flavour. The contest closes a few hours before the awards start on March 7.

The contest has several other interactive elements that users can access via the Yummy Mummy contest microsite, including an Oscar prediction video, Twitter interactivity and Oscar-themed Yummy Mummy blogs.

Tying the TV and online experience together is the Quaker Crispy Minis ‘Red Carpet Party Pick’ contest, a partnership with CTV’s Etalk Daily. The contest invites Canadians to participate in Oscar-themed trivia with real-time polls executed during the pre-Oscar broadcast on March 7. Participants can also start early on the contest by entering the ‘It’s a good feeling LA getaway’ contest on March 1 for the chance to win a trip for two to L.A.

A release announcing the contest stated that the brand wanted to capitalize on the social nature of Oscar viewing by creating a contest that could be shared among friends.

‘It’s more fun to guess the winners and comment on the show when you’re with friends. For groups getting together, the online contest is a great way to have everyone weigh in on their favourite choices,’ Kathryn Matheson, VP marketing, Quaker, PepsiCo Canada, said in the release.