The Pepsi Cola Shopping Spree of 1964 and 1965

Why don't we have these contests anymore?

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Comments

I don't remember this one but I was working on a Pepsi truck when Mountain Dew hit town & helped deliver the 1st cases! We off loaded over 700 cases that 1st day.

Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 08/30/16 at 08:18 AM

Now, how would you do this on the "web", online?

Posted by Joshua Zev Levin, Ph.D. on 08/30/16 at 04:59 PM

Why doesn't anyone do shopping sprees anymore? Probably because some idiot would fall down and sue for damages.

According to the inflation calculator, $6200 in 1964 would be a shade over $48000 dollars today. And the "12 members of the family of Doctor Manuel Suarez" grabbed snatched up EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS worth in 2016 money. Not a bad haul.

Posted by PupTentacle on 08/30/16 at 10:51 PM

They haven't completely disappeared. A local Piggly Wiggly had a contest to win a two minute shopping spree just three months ago. The winning couple kindly donated their prize to the local Meals On Wheels chapter, and the two representatives managed to score over $1,000 worth of meat. Details are at http://www.sheboyganpress.com/story/news/2016/05/26/meals-wheels-gets-grocery-shopping-spree/84980404/

Posted by Fritz G on 08/31/16 at 07:37 AM

By the way, the article in the link I posted called it a one minute spree, but the actual time was two minutes. Our local paper is notorious for getting small details wrong. Here is a link to the contest on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlymouthPigglyWiggly/photos/pcb.238985376480233/238985173146920

Posted by Fritz G on 08/31/16 at 07:41 AM

Good catch, Fritz G! Nice to see this wacky tradition still in place.

I should have mentioned that the film THE PRIZE WINNER OF DEFIANCE OHIO has a spree segment in it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0406158/

Posted by Paul on 08/31/16 at 09:30 AM

You couldn't use a cart?!? The layout of the store would have seriously affected your total haul. I wonder what they did with all that meat -- freezing it in store wrapping isn't a good idea. I also wonder what Pepsi would have done if some slow-moving, single, and frail senior citizen had won. They might, if motivated, get one can of beets within that time.

Posted by Phideaux on 08/31/16 at 11:26 AM

Right. Today's spree winner would be a participant who gets included in the group that has a believable fake fall and sues before the sponsor runs out of money.

Posted by Virtual on 08/31/16 at 11:47 PM

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