Hard Mountain Dew is dangling a $1 million prize for anyone who can prove Bigfoot walks among us.
The boozy soda brand, launched by PepsiCo and Boston Beer Company, unveiled its “Bigfoot Bounty” contest last week with a straight-faced press release promising the seven-figure payout for “irrefutable” evidence of the hairy cryptid. Contestants must be at least 21 years old and have until Nov. 30 to assemble their proof.
The company’s standards are deliberately steep. Hunters hoping to cash in must produce footprints, handprints, and a tuft of hair from the creature, plus audio and photographic documentation. The photo requirement specifically demands a “photobomb” shot of the beast itself.
Bryce Johnson, identified by the brand as a “Bigfoot expert,” will serve as judge over the submissions. Johnson has built a following in cryptozoology circles through his work on the subject.
“As temperatures cool, more adventurists head outdoors, while increased wildlife activity and soft, moisture-rich ground create ideal conditions for spotting and preserving tracks of Bigfoot,” the company said in its announcement. The brand noted it timed the contest to coincide with what it calls “peak Bigfoot sighting season.”
Those who fall short of the full evidentiary bar but still surface credible findings won’t walk away empty-handed. The company promised consolation prizes equivalent in cash value to a pack of Hard Mountain Dew.
“Even if no one claims the full Bigfoot Bounty, the brand is proving it had the guts to put real money behind the myth,” Hard Mountain Dew said.
The stunt marks the latest viral marketing play from the 5% ABV beverage line, which has leaned into extreme and outdoorsy branding since its 2022 debut. Mountain Dew’s parent company has long cultivated an edgier image for the franchise, and the Bigfoot promotion extends that strategy into the increasingly crowded hard-seltzer and flavored malt beverage space.
Nov. 30 marks the final day for would-be myth-busters to submit their findings to Johnson’s review.