In 1996, embroiled in its competition with Coca Cola, Pepsi launched its biggest campaign ever: “Pepsi Stuff.” The company made a commercial, now infamous, announcing that soda lovers who collected enough “Pepsi Points” could trade them in for prizes like sunglasses and leather jackets. Seven million “Pepsi Points” would even win you your very own Harrier jet. But who was going to collect that many points? College student John Leonard realized that a loophole in the fine print made the task manageable. $700,000 could buy enough points to win the $23-million fighter jet. He raised the money and sent the points to Pepsico. When the envelope came back to him in the mail, along with a letter saying the jet was meant to “create a humorous and entertaining ad,” Leonard lawyered up, commencing a David versus Goliath court battle. The four-part series Pepsi, Where’s My Jet, directed by Andrew Renzi, will give you serious 90s nostalgia. —Clara Molot
The Arts Intel Report
Pepsi, Where's My Jet?
A scene from Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?