Here we are at the beginning of overhype week with the Super Bowl of all snack foods and chicken wings ready for our super-sized HD televisions this Sunday evening. One of the original gets in the advertising blitz has always been Pepsi. Not so fast, Jones.

Pepsi decided to sit out the costly ad game and give back: Use their money for a good cause that has much more play time than just the game and the repeat circus of morning after ad quarterbacking.

This approach hopefully has wings. The Pepsi Refresh Project redefines the soft drink company’s thirst quenching ability with its new campaign aimed at getting ideas that will help move the world forward. This is the year that innovation jumps to the top of the pile as it moves from just a social media idea to a real funded program. Pepsi plans to award more than $1 million this month with grants from $5,000 up to $250,000 and the program continues to find and fund winners until the end of the year.

The first round of voting ends February 28 with winners announced Monday, March 1 (That’s one month from today). Here’s your chance to vote on the best idea or submit your own. They are lots of categories to help you peg your concept or find the best innovative idea and vote for its funding. Sign in to Facebook to vote for the best idea. As a side contest, both Demi Moore and Kevin Bacon are participating in the Celebrity Challenge with novel ideas to get people motivated and at the same time support their two charities: Bacon’s sixdegrees.org and Moore’s work with GEMS (Girls Educational & Mentoring Services).

You know all those ideas you have that you wanted someone to know about: Here’s your chance.

This is an excellent move on Pepsi’s part. A good idea is a good idea: They threw the first salvo in innovation with their campaign. Now it’s your turn to get involved.

Who remembers last year’s Super Bowl ad anyway?