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Pepsi Nearly Had to Buy a Harrier Jet — for a Customer
It was nearly a very expensive mistake.
We studied this fascinating case in my MBA program 10 years ago, and it shocked me that nobody had heard of it.
In 1996, Pepsi rolled out one of its “Drink Pepsi, Get Stuff” campaigns. It was your usual promotion where you get points for purchases that you can later use.
The TV ad targeted teenage and early 20s customers. It showed all the cool things you could win with Pepsi points.
They showed a kid wearing a Pepsi T-Shirt: 75 Pepsi Points.
A kid wearing a leather jack: 1,450 points.
Sunglasses: 175 points.
They then boasted:
“The more Pepsi you drink, the more great stuff you’re going to get.”
Then it escalated.
The commercial ends with that same kid (wearing the leather jacket and sunglasses) landing a Harrier jet in front of a school.
Everyone’s papers were blowing off their desks and kids were crowding to the window to see the jet landing.
