PC PRIMER # 655

By R.L. Creighton

Copyright 2005

 

 

            This week, I feel a need to straighten out a disservice that has been done to a very reputable world wide company as a result of misinformation that was posted on the Internet.

 

            The Pepsi Company has been unfairly accused of producing Pepsi soda cans with a patriotic theme in response to the actions against the nation on 9 -11. The misinformation was that Pepsi had produced cans that modified the Pledge of Allegiance. Pepsi, supposedly eliminated the words “Under God” to avoid upsetting people with the use of the word “God”. This is not true!  This is a hoax! This is a shinning example of what damage can be done by wrongly informed people.

 

            The blow listing has been extracted from www.pepsi.com which will shed additional light on the companies position. It is interesting to note that Pepsi has never even had a can with the Pledge of Allegiance on it

 

FALSE RUMOR ALERT: PATRIOTIC CANS

We wanted to clarify an erroneous report that has been circulating around cyberspace for the past several months. Pepsi has not created any packaging containing an edited version of America's Pledge of Allegiance. A patriotic package used last year by Dr Pepper was inappropriately linked to this rumor. Dr Pepper's position is very clearly articulated at: http://www.dpsu.com/drpepper_can.html.

            For additional verification of the Hoax aspect, you may take a look at “hoax buster’s” web site. Go to http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/hbhoaxindex.html    this site provides a major service if people would use it intelligently. 

            Hoax information can be very damaging, as in the case of the Pepsi Hoax.  Those that sent the original information planted the “under God” implication to raise the ire of readers.  Subsequently, someone embellished upon the original and added that: since the words “under God” also appear on our money, that we should not use any of our money to purchase Pepsi products so as not to offend the people at Pepsi.

            Now they add the next step. They send it to all their friends, and add a challenge to all who receive it to “See how quickly you can send this to all your friends”. Spreading the incorrect information at a speed that could only be dreamed about in public relations circles. Most people read it, get angry and sit right down and pass it forward never questioning the truth of the information. 

            The Internet is a great tool. We can use it to communicate with people in the world that were not reachable only a few short years ago.  I believe that this new found tool should have a high degree of responsibility attached to its use. We can use the Internet to pass truth and responsibility just as easily as we can send lies and misconceptions.

 

We owe it to ourselves and to the world in general to verify that the information that we pass on is not only true but is represented fairly.  To do otherwise is a disservice to mankind.

 

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