Case Study: The Tide Pod Challenge
It started with satire... The Tide Pod Challenge may have started with a satirical article that was posted in The Onion in December of 2015 titled “So Help Me God, I’m Going To Eat One Of Those Multicolored Detergent Pods.” Written from the viewpoint of a toddler that is determined to get what he wants, he points out that the Tide Pods look delicious and he wants to eat one. The problem, however, is not only with children, but also with many seniors, most battling dementia, that think the pods are candy and act on their impulse to eat one. The next potential influence towards the initiation of the challenge was a video by the internet comedy company, CollegeHumor, that depicts a young working man, who prior to leaving his office for the day, is enticed by the bowl of free Tide Pods sitting on the table. He contemplates eating one, eventually gives in to his craving, and ends up on a gurney being loaded into an ambulance. His final words are, "I don't regret i