In Livejournal's Bad Service community a post about a disinterested gas station employee and some guy wanting a drink appeared. Pretty normal Bad Service, as far as the community goes. But commenters went through and started noticing something was a bit off.
Bad Gas Station Service
OK, listen...I had a killer thirst so I stopped at this gas station, right? This chick at the counter is talking on her cell phone really loudly as I'm browsing the soda fridge. I didn't see what I was looking for, so I was like, "miss? Where's the Pepsi Max?" She pretended not to hear me, so I repeated myself again. She slams down the phone and yells, "We don't carry that shit." My mouth was gaping at this uppity bitch's nerve. No Pepsi Max? That's like a hot day on the beach with no cuties, am I right?
Bad Gas Station Service
At first, most folks thought it was a troll account. Or someone just posting to get negative attention. But the emphasis on Pepsi Max, a relatively new product and the username: pepsi2dmax seemed like it could be something else. Certainly a fake account, I for one know of very few football players that use words like 'miss,' but one fronting for Pepsi?
It seems that way. Brian's journal has another Pepsi Max loving entry:
College is going great
* Aug. 17th, 2007 at 12:37 AM
So I was out chillin with my buds today hollering at the hotties. One of my boys passed me an icy bottle of Pepsi Max. I yelled, "what's this shit!?" and he said, "just try it, bro." I was like, "no, dude. This has ginsing and I ain't one of those new age fags," but I took a sip and DAMN this shits good!
I'm so refreshed that I'm going to ask Betty out for a date tonight. Man life's good!
Seems just a bit like very poor advertising, doesn't it?
But Livejournal doesn't appear to be the victim in all this. Brian the Pepsi Max lover is using a theme advertising the very same. And links on the theme point to http://sixapart.adbureau.net/adclick/CID=0000057f0000000000000000, or their account. Regular LJ users can use the same theme as Brian, advertising their product. And they've provided 3 Pepsi Max VGifts that you can send your friends for free.
Said VGifts providing free advertising.... for Pepsi, on someone's blog.
Thankfully everyone who's run across this account so far is unimpressed, proving yet again that PR companies have no idea what it actually takes to get people to like their product via blogs. I suppose me talking about it is also part of what they want but I'd rather not purchase from a brand that uses words like 'fag' so liberally and proves itself completely inept.
I e-mailed Teri at Pepsi the following:
Dear Terri,
Can you confirm if the following posts are sponsored directly by Pepsi?
http://community.livejournal.com/bad_service/1352503.html
http://pepsi2dmax.livejournal.com/
If they are, the use of the word 'fag' in such a poor context, in addition to the spelling and suspected trolling isn't helping you guys much.
Thanks,
Tiffany
We'll see what, if anything, comes back.
Update I done been had! Apparently the troll account is in response to LJ's free Pepsi product VGifts.
Also not going over well.
In which case, it is hilarious. Well done there Six Apart and Pepsi.
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