It’s amazing how fast a rumor can spread in today’s social media world. But don’t think urban legends are new. Word of mouth has always stirred up controversy. A juicy story always finds listeners, often with bad results. Here are some rumors that almost ruined companies’ reputations.
Pop Rocks and Coke
If you grew up in the 80s, you probably heard the story about John Gilchrist, the actor who played Little Mikey in the Life cereal commercials. The rumor was that Mikey died when his stomach exploded after eating Pop Rocks candy and drinking Coca-Cola. The idea was that the soda’s carbonation made the candy expand too fast, and his stomach couldn’t handle it.
It’s not clear where the story started, but it spread quickly. People dared each other to try it, and kids were told not to buy the crackling candy! The fact that it wasn’t true didn’t matter, and Pop Rocks sales dropped. General Mills, the company behind Life Cereal, launched an ad campaign to show that Little Mikey was alive. But this made things worse, as people claimed the actor wasn’t the real Mikey.
The story was eventually proven false, but not before it did damage. Pop Rocks candy was taken off the market for a while in the mid-80s. Luckily, it has made a comeback. The FDA and even MythBusters tested the candy and found the rumor to be completely false.
Bubble Yum and Spider Eggs
In 1976, Life Savers introduced Bubble Yum, the first soft chewing gum. Bubble Yum was a hit, quickly becoming the top gum in the country. But with popularity came concern. People wondered how they made it so soft.
In 1977, the rumor started. With such a soft texture, people couldn’t believe it was just science. The story was that the company used spider eggs to give the gum its light, stringy texture.
It was a silly rumor, but it caught on. Sales dropped as people avoided Bubble Yum. Life Savers tried to stop the rumor, but the story spread faster than they could control it. Life Savers’ president, William Mack Morris, said that “Fighting the rumor was like punching air.”
Life Savers had to do something to save their profits. They launched a full-page ad in newspapers with the headline “Somebody is Telling Very Bad Lies About a Very Good Product.” It worked! The story was disproven, and Bubble Yum survived.
Taco Bell Mixes Its Beef with Family Pets
Taco Bell has been around since 1962. But in 2011, a rumor started that almost destroyed the fast-food chain.
The rumor likely began after Taco Bell stated that their meat was 88% beef. In January 2011, a class-action lawsuit claimed false advertising. The suit said calling their product “beef” was misleading because it was 65% additives, preservatives, and binders.
Taco Bell responded that their product was “88% beef and 12% secret recipe.” The Weekly World News ran a satirical article claiming Taco Bell was importing cat and dog meat from China!
The restaurant released its ingredients, and the FDA confirmed it consisted of beef, water, Mexican spices, and other flavors. The law firm dropped the suit, and Taco Bell fans were safe to enjoy their Crunch-wrap Supremes.
Snapple and the KKK
In the mid-90s, Snapple faced a few rumors. One rumor involved Snapple bottles and certain body parts getting stuck. But another rumor did more damage. It started when Snapple released its Iced Tea line with a picture of the Boston Tea Party that included a ship in a harbor.
Some people claimed the ship was a depiction of slavery. Snapple changed the images, but it was too late. The public believed there was a K on the side of every Snapple bottle. Since they were showing slave ships, the K had to mean the company was connected to the Ku Klux Klan.
Snapple founders Hyman Golden, Leonard Marsh, and Arnold Greenberg went on MTV to stop the rumors, saying, “How can three Jewish boys from Brooklyn support the Klan?” They added the words “Boston Tea Party” to their labels and “Kosher Pareve” to the K. Snapple managed to recover, and we still enjoy their drinks today.
Syringes in Pepsi
In 1990, a store clerk in eastern Ontario found a syringe in a Pepsi bottle. The bottle was removed from the shelf and given to Health and Welfare Canada. An investigation was launched but didn’t find a solution. It was thought a disgruntled employee at the EastCan Beverages bottling company in Ottawa, Ontario, was responsible. But the incident might have led to the 1993 Pepsi syringe panic.
In June 1993, stories about syringe-filled Pepsi cans appeared in the news. The first was in Tacoma, Washington, after an 82-year-old man claimed he found a needle in his can of Diet Pepsi. More reports followed, with over 50 reports across the country. Most said they found needles, but some found bullets, screws, and drug items.
The FDA said product tampering wasn’t the cause. Instead, the rumor combined with people trying to get money from Pepsi. The company reassured customers their products were safe and showed the press the bottling process. Some twenty people were arrested, and others withdrew their claims. The first case in Tacoma remains a mystery.
Procter & Gamble Worship Satan
On March 1, 1994, the President of Procter & Gamble supposedly said on the Phil Donahue Show that he was associated with the Church of Satan. He announced that a portion of P&G profits was donated to the church. The problem was, no P&G president was ever on Donahue.
People looked for clues in products. They claimed the “man in the moon” logo had devil horns and a triple 6. The company said the thirteen stars represented the original thirteen colonies, and the man in the moon was popular when the logo was created. In 1991, they changed the logo, and a few years later, they removed it.
In 1999, the rumor started again, this time on the Sally Jesse Raphael Show. It was suspected that Amway, a competing company, was behind the rumor. P&G filed lawsuits against them, and in 2007, a jury awarded P&G over $19 million in damages.
Glass in Girl Scout Cookies
In 1985, stories of glass being found in Girl Scout cookies appeared in the news. Before long, it was a conspiracy. People claimed they were cut after biting a cookie or that they found a syringe inside.
The FBI was called, and a recall began. But the scandal didn’t hurt the Girl Scouts as much as predicted. People still wanted their cookies. The organization was predicted to lose over $1 million in sales, but the actual loss was closer to $300,000. No tampering pattern was found, and it was believed the incidents were pranks. The Girl Scouts changed their box design to prevent tampering.
The Girl Scouts and Planned Parenthood
In late 2015, some parents were upset when they heard that cookie sales helped fund Planned Parenthood. The rumor likely started in 2012 after CEO Kathy Cloninger said the Girl Scouts worked with churches, YMCAs, and Planned Parenthood to bring sex education programs to girls. There was never any mention of financial support, but that didn’t stop viral videos from spreading online.
The rumor was fueled by a Fox News opinion piece about someone turning away their neighbor selling cookies because they supported Planned Parenthood. The Girl Scout Organization stated that their affiliation with organizations is strictly educational and that they retain 100% of cookie sales money. Sales dropped but rebounded. However, this rumor still appears online from time to time.
KFC Chickens Are Genetically Engineered
The rumor was that Kentucky Fried Chicken genetically experimented on their chickens to save money and increase their size. They pumped them full of hormones and altered them to have no beaks or feathers and to grow multiple wings.
The rumor grew online, citing a study by the University of New Hampshire. But the university never wrote that study. KFC filed a lawsuit against the companies for slander and won. They informed the public that they used suppliers such as Pilgrim’s Pride and Tyson’s. The University of New Hampshire denied any involvement with the study, and KFC continued business.
Muslim Maccas
McDonald’s faced lawsuits in the 1990s over how they prepared their french fries. Vegetarians felt tricked into believing the fries were meat-free. A 1993 letter from McDonald’s said the product was “cooked in 100 per cent vegetable oil.” But beef seasoning was also used, making the fries non-vegetarian.
The lawsuits ended in 2002. McDonald’s apologized and agreed to pay $10 million to vegetarian and religious groups. In one instance, a Muslim family in Alabama claimed pieces of bacon were deliberately placed in their McChicken sandwiches. McDonald’s believes it was an accident. However, it has led to a legal case.
Have you heard any of these rumors before? What’s the craziest company rumor you’ve ever heard? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
