Pepsi's fatal "Number Fever" advertising campaign in the Philippines
News News blog
In 1992, PepsiCo launched an advertising campaign called "Number Fever" in the Philippines to fight against its main competitor, Coca-Cola. Numbers were printed on bottle caps promising prizes of up to 1 million pesos. The campaign was initially very successful and significantly increased Pepsi's market share.
Production error with fatal consequences
On 25 May 1992, Pepsi announced 349 as the winning number of the day. However, due to a production error, there were suddenly 800,000 lids with the number instead of just 2. When Pepsi admitted the mistake and offered only 500 pesos in compensation, nationwide protests broke out.
For over a year, there were riots and attacks on Pepsi employees and company vehicles. At least five people died when grenades were thrown at Pepsi lorries. There were even demonstrations against Pepsi during US President Clinton's visit in 1993.
Consequences for Pepsi
Numerous lawsuits against Pepsi were unsuccessful. In 2006, a court ruled that the company had not acted negligently. However, the costs of the campaign had risen from 2 to 10 million dollars as a result of the compensation.
"Number Fever" is an impressive example of how a well-intentioned promotion can get completely out of control due to production errors and communication failures - with tragic human and financial consequences. It warns companies to plan their promotions prudently and to be aware of the consequences.
