Snapple's World Record Attempt Ends in Sticky Mess

Posted on July 1, 2005

Snapple picked the middle of summer to try and break a Guiness World Record for the largest popsicle ever. Unfortunately, the 25-foot-tall popsicle melted before it could even be unloaded off the truck.

CNN has a video of the giant melting popsicle. MSNBC.com has a report and picture of the gooey disaster as the enormous kiwi-strawberry treat melted and flooded part of downtown Manhattan.

The 25-foot-tall, 17.5-ton treat of frozen Snapple juice melted faster than expected Tuesday, flooding Union Square in downtown Manhattan with kiwi-strawberry-flavored fluid that sent pedestrians scurrying for higher ground.

Firefighters closed off several streets and used hoses to wash away the sugary goo.

Snapple had been trying to promote a new line of frozen treats by setting a record for the world's largest popsicle, but called off the stunt before it was pulled fully upright by a construction crane. Authorities said they were worried the thing would collapse in the 80-degree, first-day-of-summer heat.

The New York Post reported that the sticky kiwi-strawberry flood even caused several bicyclists to wipe out.
"I can't believe this, it's so dangerous," said cyclist Dave Currente, who took a nasty tumble.

The Fire Department raced to East 17th Street between Broadway and Union Square East to hose down the super-slick road menace.

Here is video footage of the epic ice pop fail:

The Post had the best headline for the incident with "Snapple Slips Up In Ice-Pop Flop." MSNBC.com's headline read "Disaster on a Stick." Other headlines about the Snapple PR disaster that we liked include The Herald's "World's Largest Ice Lolly Meets With a Sticky End in New York" and Newsday's "World's Largest Ice Pop? More Like Red Sea of Slush."

What a disaster.

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