In 1996, beverage giant PepsiCo launched a successful “Pepsi Stuff” promotional campaign in North America. Consumers could snag some branded swag through points collected off Pepsi cups, cans, bottles, and multipacks. The Pepsi Stuff catalog contained branded items like leather jackets, shades, tees, and even calling cards (don’t ask, kids). 

Although the launch ad included a Harrier Jet worth 7 million points, which turned out to be a gag for the commercial, one Pepsi fan tried unsuccessfully to redeem the fighter plane prize.

Across the Pacific, however, PepsiCo’s Japanese division was looking for something to capture more of the cola market from its rival Coca-Cola, which dominated it. It would take more than a thirsty ad featuring supermodel Cindy Crawford to woo the Japanese consumer.