Pepsi's 1992 Number Fever Contest in the Philippines

Overview

• Contest Name: Number Fever
• Year: 1992
• Location: Philippines
• Prize: 1 million pesos for a winning bottle cap number
• Popularity: Half of the country's population participated

Contest Structure

• Objective: Collect bottle caps and match the number revealed on the evening news
• Original Plan: Only two winning caps were to be seeded into bottling plants to control the number of winners and costs

Incident

• Date of Incident: May 25, 1992
• Winning Number Announced: 349
• Issue: Glitch in the computer program allowed 349, a non-winning number, to circulate widely
• Result: Over 600,000 caps with the number 349, way beyond the budgeted winners

Consequences

• Immediate Reaction: Mass celebration; people believed they had won
• Pepsi's Response: Blamed the computer error and offered 500 pesos per winning cap instead
• Public Backlash: Widespread protests and riots, leading to five deaths and dozens of injuries

Legal and Social Repercussions

• Coalition 349: Group formed by winners led by Del Fiero to sue Pepsi
• Legal Actions: Attempted to sue for $400 million
• Allegations: Claims that Pepsi instigated violence to discredit Coalition 349
• Outcome: Many suits dismissed; in 2006, cases officially closed with Pepsi not found negligent

Long-Term Impact

• Financial Consequences for Pepsi: Paid a fine of 150,000 pesos
• Cultural Impact: Lasting trauma for many Filipinos; mentioning Pepsi is frowned upon in some groups
• Pepsi's Statement: Regret expressed over the incident, noting executives involved are no longer with the company

Conclusion

• The Number Fever incident remains a significant event in the collective memory of the Philippines, highlighting the potential dangers and impacts of large-scale promotional mistakes.