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chegitz guevara
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Ft. Lauderdale, FL Communist Party of Apolyton
Jun 2000
time: 00:27
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WB show to offer shot at $1B prize
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Lynn Elber
April 11, 2003 | LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The evolution of television continues: A $1 billion prize will be at stake in a WB special and a monkey may help decide if there's a winner.
"Play for a Billion" will be the culmination of a Pepsi summer promotion in which contestants have the chance to play for the top prize on a live, two-hour show airing in September.
The program, to be produced by Michael Davies ("Who Wants to be a Millionaire"), represents a partnership between WB and Pepsi-Cola North America.
The two companies are also teaming on a summer variety show, "Pepsi Smash," which will feature performances by top musical acts, WB said in a release. The six-week series will begin airing in July.
"Play for a Billion" guarantees a $1 million winner and a shot at the grand prize for 10 contestants. The contest starts May 1 with the sale of Pepsi products that could lead to a chance to be on the TV special.
Details of the show are under discussion, executive producer Matti Leshem said Thursday. One proposal involves having a monkey put previously selected numbers in an order that must be matched for the $1 billion prize, he said.
"What could be more random than that?" Leshem said.
He's hoping to get a capuchin monkey to do the job. There was some controversy surrounding the idea, Leshem said, refusing to elaborate. There are also those promoting an orangutan as a better, more intelligent choice, he said.
There is a one-in-1,000 chance that the $1 billion will be awarded, according to WB and Pepsi. The winner could choose either a 40-year annuity or a lump-sum payment representing the annuity's present value.
Pepsi has taken out an insurance policy.
WB and Pepsi had previously announced plans for a variety show that would blend advertising into the program in place of commercial breaks. Plans for such a show are now on hold, a Pepsi spokesman said Thursday.
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Guess I have to start drinking Pepsi now. :yuck:
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Kontiki
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Canada
Aug 2001
time: 00:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Boris Godunov
These network programmers certainly know how little dignity most human beings have... |
Six words - "Are You Hot" & "Married By America"
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Boris Godunov
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Portland, OR
Aug 2001
time: 00:27
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quote:
Originally posted by chegitz guevara
It was a harrier jet or some amount of money. They never figured someone would ask for the harrier jet instead of the money. |
Actually, it was the Pepsi points campaign, and Pepsi never listed the Harrier Jet as an official prize. They ran a commercial that, as a joke, showed some kid landing at school in a Harrier, and then text popped up claiming it was worth "7,000,000 Pepsi points."
The thing was that you could simply buy the Pepsi points directly from the company for 10 cents each. So some guy out in Seattle raised $700,000 from several rich people, sent it into Pepsi to purchase the points and try to claim the prize.
Pepsi's refusal wasn't so underhanded, as it had never meant the Harrier to be seriously considered as a prize. Indeed, it couldn't be, since the Pentagon wouldn't exactly be inclined to just let Pepsi buy one (for $27 million, no less), considering they are modern military equipment. Also, maintenance cost of the jet alone would have made it completely unpractical for the winner to keep it, not to mention the enormous fuel costs.
So the judge threw out the guy's lawsuit, and rightly so. And I wouldn't villify Pepsi for the campaign, as that's the fault of whatever boneheaded advertising agency they were using. Those morons should have known that since the Harrier was a fictional prize, a disclaimer was needed saying it was such. Part of Advertising 101...
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11-04-2003 22:00
You mean to tell me you wouldn't loose your dignity for a few moments for 1 billion dollars?!? Ok......I have no dignity, I post here...... sign me up!
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