Q 01/05

Which pop star's hair was set alight by pyrotechnics while filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984?

A) Lionel Richie

B) Michael Jackson

C) Bruce Springsteen

D) David Bowie

Answer · why

B) Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson suffered second-degree burns to his scalp and gave his $1.5 million settlement to a California hospital, whose burn unit was then name...

Q 02/05

What did student John Leonard try to claim for 7,000,000 Pepsi Points, leading to a famous lawsuit?

A) An Apache helicopter

B) A stealth bomber

C) An Abrams tank

D) A Harrier jet

Answer · why

D) A Harrier jet

A Harrier jet landed at a school in the advert, so Leonard sent a cheque for roughly $700,000 to buy the points. A court ruled that no reasonable pers...

Q 03/05

Which spirit did PepsiCo sell in the West from 1972 in exchange for putting Pepsi on Soviet shelves?

A) Vodka

B) Brandy

C) Gin

D) Rum

Answer · why

A) Vodka

Vodka was the currency of the deal because roubles could not be taken abroad, so Stolichnaya flowed out and cola syrup flowed in. Pepsi became the fir...

Q 04/05

Which film star joined Pepsi-Cola's board in 1959 after her husband, the company's chairman, died?

A) Bette Davis

B) Barbara Stanwyck

C) Joan Crawford

D) Katharine Hepburn

Answer · why

C) Joan Crawford

Joan Crawford travelled widely to promote Pepsi and had the drink placed prominently in several of her later films. She kept her seat on the board unt...

Q 05/05

Which computer firm hired Pepsi-Cola president John Sculley in 1983 after a pitch from its co-founder?

A) Apple

B) Atari

C) Compaq

D) Commodore

Answer · why

A) Apple

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs won him over by asking whether he wanted to sell sweetened water for the rest of his life. Sculley ran the company until 1...