--- title: One chip, several problems - The Hustle description: Brands can face consequences for dangerous marketing stunts. Paqui’s One Chip Challenge is just the latest. image: https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/161461033-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-paqui_20230914213352.webp --- # One chip, several problems ![Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://53.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/53/assets/hubspot.com/web-team/WBZ/HubSpot%20Media/Blog%202021/Images/Nav/Optimized/TheHustle_Icon_Dark.svg) [Juliet Bennett Rylah](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/author/juliet-bennett-rylah) [Juliet Bennett Rylah Twitter profile ](https://twitter.com/JBRylah) Published: September 15, 2023 Updated: October 11, 2023 Paqui’s [One Chip Challenge](https://paqui.com/onechipchallenge/) involves what is supposedly the world’s hottest chip, spiced with: ![A red coffin-shaped package with a yellow skull on it, reading “Paqui” and “One Chip Challenge” on a red background.](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hs-fs/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/161461033-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-paqui_20230914213352.webp?width=595&height=400&name=161461033-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-paqui_20230914213352.webp) - Carolina Reaper peppers ([~1.6m](https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/food-dining/2022/08/03/hottest-spicy-pepper-in-world/10120857002/) Scoville units) - Naga Viper peppers (~1.4m Scoville units) For reference, a jalapeno comes in at [5k](https://www.alimentarium.org/en/story/scoville-scale) Scoville units, and the hot sauce that [made Jennifer Lawrence cry](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1hVAhIVa-4) on an episode of “Hot Ones” rated 135.6k. The single chip retailed for ~$10, and those who dared to eat it were encouraged to post their reaction to social media. It was already a bad idea — a chip that hot would absolutely cause pain — and then it got worse. #### **Paqui…** … a subsidiary of The Hershey Co., labeled the product “for adults only,” but teens had no issues getting their hands on it: - [Some](https://www.boston.com/news/local-news/2023/09/14/one-chip-challenge-strikes-again-holliston-middle-schoolers-sickened/) were sent to the school nurse or hospital. - Worse, Harris Wolobah, 14, died shortly after eating the chip, though his death has not been directly connected to the chip. Rapper T.I.’s son, King Harris, also faced [backlash](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/someone-just-died-doing-t-000620615.html) after posting himself bribing an unhoused man to eat the chip. Paqui is now working to remove the chips from shelves. #### **Marketing stunts gone bad** Parents and schools have [attempted](https://thehustle.co/schools-and-parents-take-on-social-media/) to hold social media platforms accountable for dangerous or destructive challenges, but brands can also face consequences: - LifeLock CEO Todd Davis was so confident in his company’s identity protection service, he shared his social security number. His identity was successfully stolen 13x — and so were the identities of several LifeLock customers. The FTC fined LifeLock [$12m](https://www.computerworld.com/article/2520460/update--lifelock-to-pay--12m-to-settle-ftc--states--complaint.html) for deceptive advertising. - In 2007, a radio station held a competition that promised a free Wii to whoever could hold their “wee” the longest after drinking a ton of water, despite warnings of the dangers. A 28-year-old participant later died of water intoxication; a jury awarded her family [$16.5m](https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna16614865#.UfGLSmQ-vDU). By rushing to offer refunds and pulling the product from shelves, Paqui’s doing the right thing — but the One Chip Challenge was a bad idea from the jump. Topics: [Food](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/tag/food) [Social Networking](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/tag/social-networking) ## Follow us on social media prev next - ![Holy smokes, there may actually be a limit to Texans’ love of barbecue](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1244337807-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Texas-BBQ_20230928210924.webp) ### Holy smokes, there may actually be a limit to Texans’ love of barbecue - ![Think your industry is weird? 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Get a load of the beaded ice cream business - ![When did the packaged food aisle get so cool?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/2070592382-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Packaging_20231003215516.webp) ### When did the packaged food aisle get so cool? - ![The cereal industry’s forecast has no added sugar](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/258270469-19-News-Brief_2023-09-24T200813.124Z.webp) ### The cereal industry’s forecast has no added sugar - ![Avocado guy goes viral again and other weird takes from the extremely wealthy](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1343746157-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-avo-toast_20230913220144.webp) ### Avocado guy goes viral again and other weird takes from the extremely wealthy - ![Is chasing TikTok a mistake for YouTube?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1883943400-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-YouTube-logo_20230905212005.webp) ### Is chasing TikTok a mistake for YouTube? - ![The shroom boom is coming to the candy aisle](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1460885417-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Mushrooms_20230816224353-1.webp) ### The shroom boom is coming to the candy aisle - ![A Pop-Tarts and Crocs partnership exists because we’re all total suckers](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/1897903693-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-croc-tarts_20230814231514.webp) ### A Pop-Tarts and Crocs partnership exists because we’re all total suckers - ![L’Eggo my… booze in a jar?](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/858195133-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-Eggo_20230822212534.webp) ### L’Eggo my… booze in a jar? - ![The fediverse, explained](https://hs-sbup.thehustle.co/hubfs/The%20Hustle%20News/Assets/Images/137506517-httpsthdaily.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.comfinal_size-fediverse_20230810222715.webp) ### The fediverse, explained Pop up for Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Subscribe to The Hustle Daily Newsletter Get the 5-minute news brief keeping 2.5M+ innovators in the loop. 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