Saucy And Sour In Hell

It was the most complained-about marketing stunt in New Zealand…but Hell Pizza's mass condom drop made more than just a few angry customers.
It’s been revealed the 300,000+ condoms distributed through a 2006 Hell Pizza mail drop failed to meet Ministry of Health labelling and packaging guidelines. And at least one child may have been conceived by a couple who used them - the child is blissfully unaware he’s an inadvertent fast food by-product!
Ok, so that’s the vaguely funny bit, such as it is…but now this. From making kids to helping ‘em (or not)…Hell Pizza is also in the gun for refusing to pay $10k pledged to a 2009 Telethon - after one of the company's bosses asked workmates for advice about how he could avoid paying the "dorks".
Warren Powell agreed Hell would pay the KidsCan charity in exchange for exposure at the event. After negative reports that some of the money wasn't reaching needy kids, Powell reneged. Julie Helson, CEO of KidsCan, said even after an audit showed all the money was reaching children in poverty, Hell Pizza failed to pay.
The charity did not pursue Hell in court as that would’ve cost more than it hoped to get. It says $10k would support 56 children for a year, buying them school meals, shoes, socks, a raincoat and a beanie.
Now it’s one thing to push the marketing boundaries a bit – Hell has a reputation for this. And quite frankly, anyone who uses a condom received through the mail is a plonker!
But to make a promise of financial support in writing, see an audit to dispel any concerns, and STILL not pay up…simply SUCKS!!!
Sure, Hell makes bloody good pizzas – but this behaviour turns off customers a damn sight faster than their condoms turned ‘em on!
[Oh, and as an aside, the polarising Warren Powell is currently in talks to exit the company… with his attitude, I’m not surprised.]