As a promotion, Intelligent Energy will be offering two months of free natural gas to up to residential consumers in New York and New Jersey. The company said its offer is for up to 50,000 natural-gas customers who use Con Edison or its Orange & Rockland Utilities subsidiaries and various other utilities in New York and New Jersey.

At the end of trial period, customers can choose to remain with Intelligent Energy at the regular monthly deregulated rate, lock in a fixed rate, or return to purchasing gas from their own utility with no penalty, the company said. Customers interested in the offer can call 877-483-4684 or visit the company’s Web site (www.IntelligentEnergy.org/freegas).

Intelligent Energy, a gas reseller based in Gainesville, Fla., started doing business in New York two years ago. The company said it serves more than 60,000 residential, commercial and government-agency consumers in New York, New Jersey, Georgia and Florida.

Pernod Ricard USA, which last year acquired the marketing and distribution rights for Stolichnaya, will emphasize the Russian history of the vodka in its first major advertising push for the brand.

The Purchase-based producer, importer and marketer of spirits and wines, said the multimillion-dollar advertising rollout will be the first worldwide campaign for Stolichnaya.

The ads, which will debut in the May issues of Rolling Stone, In Style and GQ, will harken to a Russian art style that celebrates the industrial structures of the early 20th century, which was when Stolichnaya was created. The headline will be: “The Mother of all Vodkas, from the Motherland of Vodka.�

The campaign was created by Pernod Ricard’s London-based Stolichnaya Brand Organization Ltd. and Marcel Republique, a Paris-based boutique advertising agency owned by Publicis Groupe.

Banking customers of JPMorgan Chase & Co. may soon notice a new look as the New York-based company nears the completion of extensive remodelings at 800 branches in the Tri-state area.

The branch remodelings include new automated-teller machines, new signs, new furnishings, new carpeting, new color schemes and fresh coats of paint.

“It will be brighter and more customer friendly,� said Chase spokesman Michael Fusco.

Chase showed off the new look yesterday as the Chase signs officially went up at 339 branches that the company picked through a deal with the Bank of New York. The new signs followed the conversion of the former Bank of New York branches to Chase’s computer system last month.

“Now that our branches are under one computer system and brand, we can fully serve our customers both where they live and work,� said Charlie Scharf, head of retail financial services for Chase.

After the addition of the Bank of New York branches, Chase has a total of 106 branches in Westchester County and 30 in Rockland County. The number of Putnam County branches was not immediately available.

In addition to the Bank of New York conversions, Chase has been gradually updating its existing branches in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and expects to complete that work by the end of April. It is replacing the navy-and-red color scheme with the new, bright blue logo. The cost of the remodelings was not available.

The company also has opened 74 new Tri-state branches in the last three years and extended its hours at most locations. Typical branches are now open from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays.

In two weeks, Chase is scheduled to start a multi-million dollar advertising campaign in the Tri-State area, called “Tap into the Chase Glow,� that highlights the changes.

Ganesh Rathnam, an analyst at Morningstar, said the bank’s remodelings make sense because some branches had outdated appearances. Chase operates more than 3,000 branches and 8,500 ATMs in 17 states.

“We believe J.P. Morgan could make improvements at the retail bank to extract more value,� Rathnam said in a research report. “It has a formidable presence, boasting the second-largest deposit base in the U.S., and it is the number-one bank by market share in key cities like New York and Chicago.�

PepsiCo Inc., the Purchase-based soft drink giant, said it will allow a consumer to design one of its beverage cans for the first time in its 109-year history. Under the company’s “Design Our Pepsi Can� promotion, the design from the winning consumer will be showcased on 500 million Pepsi cans nationally.

The winner also will be awarded a $10,000 prize.

Beginning this week, consumers may enter the promotion by going to http://www.designourpepsican.com. Once registered, participants can choose to use their own design software or tools available on the site to develop their can designs.

The top designs will be selected by a panel at PepsiCo and posted on designourpepsican.com. Consumers will then vote for the winner.

MasterCard Inc., the credit card giant based in Purchase, will introduce a new ad in its well-known “Priceless� campaign Sunday during the 79th Annual Academy Awards on ABC.

The 60-second spot called “Ella Phant� will promote MasterCard PayPass payment technology that consumers use to make purchases by swiping cards over payment terminals.

The new ad features an elephant that cares for an under-the-weather zookeeper by tapping a PayPass card to make purchases of soup, cold medicine and a blanket to help the caretaker feel better.

The ad was directed by Jim Sheridan, a movie director and producer with film credits that include “My Left Foot,� “In America,� and “In the Name of the Father.�