Winning a prize is surprising. Gaining unlimited freebies, however, is a definite win, especially if it is unexpected.
Idaho TikToker Nathan Apodaca probably never dreamed his post in October 2020 would go viral. The video shows him skateboarding to work while drinking a bottle of cranberry juice as Fleetwood Mac’s 1977 hit song “Dreams” plays in the background. The millions of views drove sales of “Dreams” on iTunes and Spotify back then.
The producer of cranberry juice brand Ocean Spray was so impressed with the online publicity that its boss sent Apodaca a truckload of the product for helping promote it on social media by inspiring the “cranberry challenge” social media trend. Apodaca also got to keep the pickup.
Filipina weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz had more than a fair share of freebies after winning the first Olympic gold medal for the Philippines in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. AirAsia Philippines honored her with a lifetime of free flights while Phoenix Petroleum gave her free fuel for life. Milk tea brand Cha Tuk Chak also gave Diaz a year’s supply of her favorite drink flavor, cheesecake.
Recently, global food company Kraft-Heinz, maker of the popular ketchup brand Heinz, announced its freebie for a Dominica island man.
Kraft-Heinz said in an Instagram post it was looking for Elvis Francois after learning he accidentally drifted to the ocean while repairing his boat in December and was rescued 24 days later.
When Francois was found and rescued by Colombian Navy sailors, the 47-year-old guy was in good health. Francois revealed that he subsisted on a bottle of ketchup, garlic powder, and bouillon cubes to survive.
The man’s story inspired Kraft-Heinz to reward him — not with a forever supply of free Heinz ketchup, but a new boat.
The company wants to make sure Francois will not drift away to sea again so the free boat it will give is “equipped with full navigational technology to avoid another disaster in the future.”