Pepsi Refresh, Community Fundraising Contest, Under Fire Again

For the second time in a year, the Pepsi Refresh Project is under fire. Started nearly a year ago, the $20 million online contest awards community grants monthly. The $5,000, $10,000, $25,000, $50,000 or $250,000 grants are given to deserving individuals, businesses and nonprofits based on public votes. But some are complaining that contest for good is actually corrupt.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that the online fundraising platform has received complaints from competing nonprofits that the results are being manipulated by proxy voting and international third-party help.

Ann Goody, who runs Three Ring Ranch, an exotic-animal sanctuary in Hawaii, participated in the competition for months. She told The Times:

"I feel like we were cheated out of a win. We worked our hearts out with e-mails, phone calls, Facebook, kids handing out candy canes at Wal-Mart and then we find out our win was stolen from us by people breaking the rules."

Goody, along with others, have singled out the operator of Guardian Angel Feline Rescue and recipient of a $50,000 grant, Carol Shultz, as a culprit. They claim Shultz used an overseas contact to help increase her numbers.

But Shultz says she's innocent. The Chicago Tribune reported Thursday:

Schultz issued a response, saying that she "found myself making stuff up to get (Goody) off my back." [She said] she didn't know the proprietor of the overseas firm, referred to by some as "Mr. Magic," and did not make any payment to him. Schultz also called Goody "a sore loser."

Pepsi has implemented strict rules for the charitable contest, and has ordered experts to examine the voting fraud accusations.

Read more about the accusations at The New York Times.

Comments

[PsychicStacy]

07:51 PM on 01/11/2011

Sounds like a real cat fight... :)

[Rob Horton]

10:51 AM on 01/08/2011

The program is more about advertising than actually helping needy non-profits. Small but worthy non-profits don't stand a chance.

[FabulousAt52]

08:32 AM on 01/08/2011

Forget the fund raising and PR gimmicks Pepsi... how about putting your Pepsi Throwback (REAL sugar - no HFCS) soda back on the shelves. You put it out there for a trial run, It was a huge success, and yet, it hasn't come back. Why? Using real sugar cutting into your profits?
Or is it you just don't care about consumers' health and wellbeing?

[themidnightreview]

10:15 AM on 01/08/2011

I heard from a Pepsi rep that it is going to be permanent. My local Publix still carries it.

[hornedcog]

08:16 AM on 01/08/2011

Have a Coke and a smile?

[Rachel O]

12:19 AM on 01/08/2011

Online voting is too vulnerable. My state was set to get the ugliest possible license plate because of a vote rigging prank, and thankfully the state threw out the results. People should know better than to put these contests online these days.

[tehixe]

02:01 AM on 01/08/2011

They almost had to name a space station model Colbert thanks to online vote fraud--and a good thing too, because before Stephen Colbert got involved, the scientologists were using their own vote fraud to get it named Xenu.

[Rasalom]

03:10 AM on 01/08/2011

I am betting the people trying to get it named Xenu were 4channers. Actual Scientologists wouldn't call acknowledge Xenu.

[malexandria]

04:28 PM on 01/08/2011

Unless there's a charge involved, you'll always get a certain percentage of the public who will just vote on things just to be "funny"

[brownfrown]

11:32 PM on 01/07/2011

You can buy votes with lollipops all day.. how is that different from another guy paying 25 cents per click? It sucks, but Indian freelance companies will do anything for a few bucks..

[SaddieMcCall]

09:04 AM on 01/09/2011

Apparantly Americans will do it for a candy cane.