Apple TV+. has ordered The Jet, a docuseries that chronicles the true story behind the 1990s Pepsi promotional campaign that advertised a Harrier jet in exchange for Pepsi points.
It hails from James Lee Hernandez and Brian Lazarte, the Emmy-nominated filmmakers behind HBO’s McMillions docuseries about the McDonald’s monopoly game con.
The Jet tells the compelling true story behind the iconic “Drink Pepsi, Get Stuff” promotional campaign that presented a Harrier Jet at the end of a 1996 TV commercial in exchange for 7 million Pepsi Points.
The docuseries is billed as an entertaining and nostalgic deep dive into 1990s pop culture and the events that transpired after someone attempted to cash in their points for a Harrier fighter jet.
MacDailyNews Note: This Pepsi promo docuseries will be a winner for Apple TV+.
When a 21-year-old business student, John Leonard, collected enough points for the Harrier jet, Pepsi was taken by surprise. Leonard did not collect 7,000,000 Pepsi Points through the purchase of Pepsi products, but instead sent a certified check for $700,008.50 as permitted by the contest rules. Leonard had 15 existing points, paid $0.10 a point for the remaining 6,999,985 points, and a $10 shipping and handling fee.
John Blackstone explains what happened next in this 1996 “CBS Evening News” report:
There was a court case, decided on August 5th 1999 (spoiler alert, don’t read if you’d rather watch the Apple TV+ docuseries without knowing the outcome): Leonard v. Pepsico, Inc.
While there could be one person on the planet that might find this interesting, what are they thinking? They could air more interesting Pepsi commercials.
Haven’t you ever imagined buying a $33.8 million jump jet for $700,000? It is an interesting story.
Imagine having $700,000, and deciding that this is what you wanted to do with it.
Flipping a $700,000 investment for $33.8 million within days sounds like a pretty sound decision to me.
Not very bright are you Tau?
Or remember the Pepsi Challenge, a certain John Sculley who went from selling ”sugered water” to almost wrecking a certain fruit company?