Pop Rocks Candy Hopes to Dispel the Myth That Tandem Soda Consumption is Deadly

It takes a pretty gullible person to believe that digesting Pop Rocks candy in tandem with a serving of soda can lead to your stomach exploding. But let’s pretend that the general population is that gullible, and that there are indeed a plethora of kids walking the streets with cola + Pop Rocks grenades in their stomach.

The Pop Rocks brand is embracing the myth, a story that traces back to a kid named “Mikey” that had supposedly died as a result of the ‘deadly’ combo. The myth gained serious tracking because ‘Little Mikey’ was the same cute kid who gained fame from the LIFE cereal commercials.

Mythbusters dispelled the rumors on an episode a few years back,  but the Pop Rocks brand has turned the entire ordeal into a marketing campaign. Pop Rocks Inc. is asking consumers to film one-minute videos featuring someone ingesting Pop Rocks and a carbonated soft drink.

If there are no deaths on screen, this could prove to be an interesting campaign for the brand. The company is giving away an iPad as the grand prize during the course of their “Dispel The Myth” video challenge, which runs through June 10th.

More information is available on the Pop Rocks Candy Facebook page, if you’re so inclined to risk the truths of childish urban legends.