Details About Pepsi’s $1 Million Mistake
In 1992, Pepsi launched a promotional campaign in the Philippines that went so wrong it made global headlines. What started as a marketing idea turned into chaos, lawsuits, and even tragedy.
Pepsi Promised Instant Millionaires
Pepsi’s “Number Fever” campaign encouraged people to buy bottles with numbers under the caps. A winning number meant instant cash, including a ₱1 million jackpot. It sounded like a dream, and over 50,000 Filipinos joined daily, hoping to change their lives with a single bottle.
The Winning Number Was a Mistake
On May 25, 1992, Pepsi announced 349 as the winning number. The problem? Due to a computer error, more than 600,000 bottle caps had been printed with that number. That meant hundreds of thousands of “winners” believed they were owed the million-peso prize.
Pepsi Refused to Pay
Pepsi declared the 349 caps invalid and claimed only two were meant to win. They offered a small consolation of $20 and a merchandise t-shirt instead. Furious crowds rejected the offer, and the situation quickly spiraled into public outrage.
Riots Broke Out Across the Country
Thousands took to the streets in protest. Pepsi delivery trucks were pelted with rocks. Bottling plants were vandalized. At one point, a Pepsi truck was bombed in Manila, tragically killing a schoolteacher and injuring others. What started as a promo ended in violence.
Pepsi Faced Over 5,000 Lawsuits
Filipino citizens organized mass lawsuits demanding compensation. Pepsi’s legal team was overwhelmed as protests intensified and civil unrest grew. The company faced a massive PR crisis in Southeast Asia and years of legal proceedings.
Pepsi Blamed a Mexican Tech Firm
PepsiCo pointed fingers at a subcontractor in Mexico responsible for printing the cap numbers. The software error, according to the company, was outside of Pepsi’s direct control. Still, public trust in the brand plummeted across the Philippines.
The Scandal Inspired a Documentary
The 349 disaster became the subject of the 2022 Netflix documentary Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?, which also explored Pepsi’s problematic promotions globally. The documentary renewed interest in the scandal and revealed just how deep the chaos really went.
Pepsi’s Reputation Took Years to Recover
The company spent years trying to rebuild trust in the Philippines. Even decades later, the number 349 remains symbolic of false promises and corporate failure. It’s a cautionary tale that still shocks marketing professionals today.
One Cap, Too Many Winners
Pepsi’s 349 scandal wasn’t just a marketing failure—it was a national disaster. With lawsuits, riots, and shattered trust, the 1992 promo lives on as one of the biggest brand blunders ever. It’s a lesson in how one mistake can bubble over into full-blown chaos.
