15 Contests and Public Votes That Backfired Big Time
![15 Contests and Public Votes That Backfired Big Time](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/0/1/888501_320x180.jpg)
It’s like that new saying we just made up… Absolute power corrupts absolutely. From the looks of it, that’s what most of these contests and polls learned right away. These companies thought they had it all figured out. You can picture them in their boardrooms now. Tossing around bright ideas like, “What if we get the public involved by letting them name the product?”
We get it, coming up with a name for yet another Mountain Dew flavor is hard. You might want to outsource that brainpower to the public, but don’t be surprised if their choice involves Hitler. Now it’s on you to either use it (which we’re guessing you won’t), or scrap the whole campaign and admit that you just straight up lost to the internet. 4chan is out there, just waiting to prey on your precious little online polls. So let these 15 contests and public votes serve as cautionary tales for any future promotional campaigns.
Prince Harry was right — the Royals have no sense of humor.
![Public votes that backfired big time SIR DAVID ATTENBOROUGH BOATY McBOATFACE An online poll named a $288 million British research ship Boaty McBoatface. The Royals didn't honor it, and named it Sir David Attenborough (the fifth place name). As consolation, the name Boaty McBoatface was given to a small, yellow research vehicle. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/0/8/888508.jpg)
The “Make Prime Speak” contest was rigged, we tells ya!
![Public votes that backfired big time MAKE PRIME SPEAK The top voted contestant-submitted line would be spoken by Optimus Prime in the Transformers movie. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings was chosen, even though Do a barrel roll and These pretzels are making me thirsty got more votes. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/1/4/888514.jpg)
Paramount Pictures
People find beauty in Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf.
![Public votes that backfired big time PEOPLE'S MOST BEAUTIFUL PERSON IN THE WORLD For this 1998 People Magazine poll, Howard Stern fans wrote in 230,000 votes for Hank the Angry Drunken Dwarf to beat Titanic-era Leonardo Dicaprio. People said he would never be considered and gave Leo the cover. Pffft. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/0/5/888505.jpg)
The Howard Stern Show/YouTube,
Paramount Pictures
Humans trained AI to be racist.
![Public votes that backfired big time Microsoft MICROSOFT'S TAYTWEETS Microsoft told users that the more they tweet to Tay (their artificially intelligent Twitter page), the more she'd learn. Within 24 hours, she tweeted racial slurs, Hitler quotes, and incestuous sexual acts, and was immediately canceled. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/1/7/888517.jpg)
Microsoft
Reddit and 4chan think that nobody should hear Taylor Swift.
![Public votes that backfired big time TAYLOR SWIFT COULD SING AT YOUR SCHOOL! For her contest to perform at the school with the most votes, Reddit and 4chan users made sure that the Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing won. She didn't perform, but sent them a $50,000 donation. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/1/6/888516.jpg)
Everybody was getting “Rick Rolled” in 2008.
![Public votes that backfired big time W YORK THE NEW YORK METS' THEME SONG Because of Rick Rolling in 2008, when fans voted on the Mets' eighth inning theme song, Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up won with over five million votes. It played on opening night, got a ton of boos, and was never played again. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/1/5/888515.jpg)
They don’t call him Mr. Worldwide for nothin’.
![Public votes that backfired big time PITBULL GOES то ALASKA In 2012, Facebook sponsored a Pitbull concert at the Walmart franchise who got the most likes. The poll was hijacked to have him sent to Kodiak, Alaska (the most remote Walmart in the U.S.). Не thought it was funny and actually performed there. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/1/3/888513.jpg)
Pepsi Number Fever lives on as a cautionary tale for all marketing campaigns.
![Public votes that backfired big time PEPSI NUMBER pepsi FEVER A Pepsi contest in the Philippines had a grand prize of 1 million pesos, but an error at the bottling plant led to 600,000 winning bottles. Riots and even grenade attacks injured dozens and killed 5 people in the deadliest marketing disaster in history. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/1/0/888510.jpg)
Wait… A competition for the wildest college parties was problematic?
![Public votes that backfired big time THE MOLSON CANADIAN NATIONAL CAMPUS CHALLENGE The Canadian photo contest for a trip to Mexico had college students prove they went to the No. 1 party school by Showing how you and your crew get the party started! Parents and schools obviously hated it, and it was shut down. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/1/2/888512.jpg)
Norwegian Air’s mascot was almost named after a church-burning satan worshiper.
![Public votes that backfired big time ENR norwegian.com NORWEGIAN AIR'S DANCE WITH THE DEVIL A poll to name their new mascot was meant to honor a Norwegian hero, but metalheads rocked the vote, and black metal guitarist Euronymous won. Не was a Satan worshiper known for church burnings in the '90s. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/0/7/888507.jpg)
Even Fred Durst wanted his name associated with trash.
![Public votes that backfired big time A DUMP BY ANY OTHER NAME Ca Amo Austin, TX citizens voted to rename its Solid Waste Department the Fred Durst Society of the Humanities and Arts, and Durst tweeted, I hope we win. They did win, but the city chose boring old Austin Resource Recovery. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/0/9/888509.jpg)
Holy Contraception, Batman!
![Public votes that backfired big time au 1 natural rubber latex condom aure 1 préservatif en latex 1 condon/ preservativo de látex 1 natural rubber de 18 g préservatif 1 condón I preser AMERICA P DUREX'S 1 natural rubber latex condom 1 présen condón / pr SOS látex MB CONDOMS durex préservatif en natural rubber latex la con ondón I preservative Durex asked Facebook fans to vote for which city should get SOS Condoms,a service that rush delivers to underprepared couples. Internet pranksters chose Batman, Turkey - a conservative Muslim city adamantly opposed to condoms. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/0/6/888506.jpg)
Pepsi can’t tell you what to chant, Canada!
![Public votes that backfired big time PEPSI CANADA'S HOCKEY CHANT Pepsi asked fans to create a cheer for Hockey Canada at a 2010 Men's Hockey Championship. Eh! Oh! Canada! Go! won, but fans hated it. At its height, The Chant is a national embarrassment Facebook page had over 64,000 fans. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/0/4/888504.jpg)
So, anywhere in the world?
![Public votes that backfired big time JUSTIN BIEBER'S MY WORLD TOUR In 2010, voters could pick a destination for Beiber's tour, and because of 4chan, North Korea jumped from 24th to first place in only two days. And get this, the Biebs didn't go perform in North Korea! CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/0/3/888503.jpg)
Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock,
Alexander Khitrov/Shutterstock
Leave it to the internet to get Hitler involved somehow.
![Public votes that backfired big time THE DEW Mounta Dew De DE This very short-lived 2012 promotion had Mountain Dew fans name its new drink. Suggestions like the contest winner, Hitler did nothing wrong had Mountain Dew apologize to consumers, claiming that they lost to the Internet. CRACKED](https://s3.crackedcdn.com/phpimages/imageset/5/1/1/888511.jpg)