5 Stupid Product Myths That Had Real-World Consequences

Cracked ^ | August 2, 2019 | Julia Lange

[C19fan]

They say there's no such thing as bad publicity, but companies like Theranos, whoever did Fyre Fest, and countless others would beg to differ. They might have deserved what they got, but sometimes the bad publicity in question is both false and so outlandish that the company's PR team can only address it with long-suffering sighs. As these stories attest, such incidents can take years of work and lots of self-medicating to undo.

5 The "Pop Rocks And Coke" Rumor Killed The Candy (For A While) You're no doubt aware of the urban legend that little Mikey of Life cereal commercial fame died from consuming a combination of Pop Rocks and Coke, and if you're not, you haven't been watching enough late '90s horror movies. Mikey, whose real name is John Gilchrist, was alive and well when the rumor began in the late '70s, and remains so to this day, but there was no Google back then, so parents started refusing to buy the trendy new candy to save their children from their a terribly carbonated demise. Though the brand is back today, it completely tanked at the time.

[C19fan]

I could not help myself but I had to post this. I was a kid through the Pop Rocks craze and of course we all talked about Mikey dying from Pop Rocks and Soda.

[Bullish]

How about the rumor about the wee-wee in Corona beer? Kinda surprised that one wasn’t mentioned.

[CrazyIvan]

“How about the rumor about the wee-wee in Corona beer? Kinda surprised that one wasn’t mentioned.”

I’ve always suspected it was the main ingredient.

[Yo-Yo]

Or earthworms in McDonald hamburger patties.

[jjotto]

Confusing Corona with Lagunitas?

[CrazyIvan]

I’m sure the slander against Snapple had nothing to do with Rush promoting it.

[Red Badger]

Maybe it wasn't a rumor!...............😁

[SamAdams76]

Before the Internet, these "urban myths" never seemed to go away. When I was a kid, our parents would make us throw away apples we got for Halloween because they feared they would have razor blades in them. I know, I realize I date myself, it's been DECADES since people gave away apples for trick or treat but it used to be a common thing.

There was also a very vicious rumor involving rocker Rod Stewart having to have his stomach pumped for...well, I won't repeat the rest here but those who grew up in the 1970s might know what I'm talking about.

[CrazyIvan]

“Confusing Corona with Lagunitas?”

No, but I could have included it and I’m a big IPA drinker. It really does have an odd flavor to me.

[Impala64ssa]

"Snapple's Jewish Founders Had To Renounce The KKK"
This one started when Snapple was a sponsor of Rush Limbaugh's show, probably started by libs looking to stir up sh*t.

[C19fan]

I remember rumors that the Proctor and Gamble New Moon logo had satanic origins.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

In high school I casually repeated the Rod Stewart urban legend and somehow ended up being credited as the main source of it.

[tuffydoodle]

“There was also a very vicious rumor involving rocker Rod Stewart having to have his stomach pumped for...well, I won’t repeat the rest here but those who grew up in the 1970s might know what I’m talking about.”

Gerbils?

[Rastus]

And later the rumor was changed over to Jordan Knight of the New Kids on the Block. It’s amazing how pre-internet we all grew up with the same stories, such as “Joan Jett is dead!” and the same jokes, such as the one about Rock Hudson and Len Bias. I guess it’s from kids visiting family in other parts of the country, kids moving, etc.

[ProtectOurFreedom]

How odd they didn’t list the rumor that Gillette hates men and has aligned itself with the Feminist / PC / Woke crowd to take down all men.

Oh...wait. It said “Myths.”

[IndispensableDestiny]

I’m sure the slander against Snapple had nothing to do with Rush promoting it.

Howard Stern promoted Snapple while they were an independent company. He'd have buxom beauties come out wearing bikinis drinking the stuff. They would pour some in between their breasts.

[Fiji Hill]

In 1991, a flier appeared in black neighborhoods in New York City claiming that Tropical Fantasy soda was manufactured by the Ku Klux Klan and contained an ingredient that sterilized black men. The ensuing rumor generated by the flier almost killed the manufacturer of the drink.

[BBQToadRibs]

Yea, another 70s kid here. I remember homemade popcorn balls, cookies, carmel apples. Things people took time and effort in making for the neighborhood kids who came by. Back when neighborhoods were neighbors who actually knew each other.

[Jeff Chandler]

. . . Corona . . . an odd flavor . . .

You think that's an odd flavor, try Corona Premier. Then step up to the outer limits of weirdness with Corona Premier in a can.

[yarddog]

It seems to me that I have seen information that after the Proctor and Gamble rumors were put to rest that it turned out there was at least a little bit of truth to them.