OPINION:
I’ve seen stupid and desperate business decisions in my life, but PepsiCo’s decision to resurrect Michael Jackson in a global promotion takes the cake (“Michael Jackson: Pepsi brings back King of Pop in promotion,” Web, Thursday).
After having its flagship brand, Pepsi-Cola, drop to No. 3 in market share behind Coke and Diet Coke, PepsiCo is getting desperate by trying to relive its short-run glory days of the early 1980s, when its cola consistently beat Coca-Cola in blind taste tests.
Though it was never proven in a court of law, in the court of public opinion, the late Michael Jackson is viewed as a pedophile by a significant percentage of Americans. But even this damning aspect aside, why would any company want to associate its primary product with a person who willfully so altered his appearance that he was nearly unrecognizable? What company in its right mind wants to associate with this kind of weirdness?
For me, Pepsi products were always a second or third choice if there were no Coke products available. But next time I’m faced with this decision, I think I’ll just go thirsty instead of supporting this boneheaded company.
EUGENE DUNN
Medford, N.Y.
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