The Best One Yet: "You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop"

Release Date: May 31, 2025
Hosts: Jack Crivici-Kramer & Nick Martell

In the episode titled "You Might Enjoy: The Big Flop," hosted by Jack Crivici-Kramer and Nick Martell of Nick & Jack Studios, listeners are treated to an engaging preview of an episode from "The Big Flop," a podcast that delves into some of the most significant and entertaining business fails in history. This particular preview centers around the notorious McDonald's Monopoly promotion scandal, offering a blend of humor, personal anecdotes, and insightful analysis.

Introduction to "The Big Flop" Sample

The episode kicks off with a brief introduction by Jack and Nick, setting the stage for the featured content.

• Jeff: "[00:00] Yetis, we're about to play a sample of an episode of a different show. It's called the Big Flop. We think you're gonna like it."

• Nick: "[00:05] And it's about this one incident in business history that is one of the funniest things we'd ever heard of. And we kind of experienced it."

The hosts reminisce about the McDonald's Monopoly sweepstakes, sharing personal experiences and setting a nostalgic tone.

• Nick: "[00:19] My family ate at McDonald's like six days in a row on the Upper West Side purely to get a Corvette. We didn't get one. Spoiler."

• Jeff: "[00:25] Nick, I didn't know this at the time. Yeah. But there was a guy at McDonald's, a security chief, who almost pulled off the ultimate inside job to ruin McDonald's monopoly."

Transition to "The Big Flop" Podcast Sample

Jack and Nick segue into the sample from "The Big Flop," emphasizing the comedic and investigative nature of the show.

• Nick: "[00:48] Like putting a little sticker on a Cup at McDonald's. And that sticker was a Monopoly piece worth a million dollars."

• Jeff: "[01:09] The only problem, when they picked their head of security, the one guy in charge of protecting those million dollar Monopoly pieces, McDonald's drew the wrong card."

"The Big Flop" Episode: McDonald's Monopoly Scandal

The sample introduces Misha Brown, the host of "The Big Flop," along with comedians Ify Wadiwe and Beth Stelling, who dissect the McDonald's Monopoly fiasco.

Misha Brown's Introduction

• Misha Brown: "[01:18] You might enjoy: The Big Flop. If you get your podcasts. Remember when a big, beautiful family-size house cost $250,000? Something like that today would be what, triple the price? Well, imagine you get that house for free, grandpa gets a million dollars, and your best friend wins a brand new car. All thanks to the McDonald's Monopoly game. If that sounds too good to be, that's because it is. Unless of course, you're the Robin Hood of scammers. Or I guess in this case, the Hamburglar of scammers. Let's get into it, besties."

Discussion on the Monopoly Game Mechanics

• Ify Wadiwe: "[02:10] It's the Monopoly game. Only at McDonald's with over 50 million prizes and super sized excitement for years."

• Jeff: "[02:17] And years, the game was compromised."

• Ify Wadiwe: "[02:20] It was rigged. The scam worked for more than a decade with the crooks making off with more than 24 million dollars."

Personal Anecdotes and Public Perception

• Beth Stelling: "[03:30] It felt like they kept moving the finish line. I mean, I'm over here getting repeat after repeat. Such a disappointment to peel that off the wet cup or the fries and find out you just got another fricking Park Place."

• Beth Stelling: "[03:45] I was all in. I probably just really made McDonald's sales numbers jump whenever it came around because the way they did it is you'd always get two. You don't always get two. So you were always hunting down one and giving you that two made you think you were closer than you always were, even though everyone had the same two."

Deep Dive into the Scandal

Misha Brown elaborates on how the Monopoly game, initially a brilliant marketing strategy, became an enormous liability due to internal fraud.

• Misha Brown: "[04:05] It's so true."

• Beth Stelling: "[04:06] People were truly just getting the fries and ripping it off and then throwing the fries in the trash and like, not another one."

Historical Context and Impact

• Misha Brown: "[04:17] So today we are talking about how one man managed to cost McDonald's a whole lot more than Monopoly money by taking one of its most popular promotions of all time. And yes, this story does end with someone going directly to jail."

She provides a brief history of the McDonald's Monopoly collaboration with Simon Marketing, highlighting its initial success and ultimate downfall.

• Misha Brown: "[05:05] The board game Monopoly was invented in the beginning of the 20th century, and by the 1980s, it's become an American institution, just like another M name. We all know and love McDonald's. I'm loving it. So the idea to combine these two iconic brands comes from a company called Simon Marketing in 1987. And Simon Marketing also came up with Happy Meals. So, I mean, they know a thing or two about selling hamburgers."

Promotional Insights and Challenges

Misha discusses the mechanics of the promotion and its eventual exploitation.

• Misha Brown: "[05:35] Now, the way the Monopoly game works is when you buy something at McDonald's, there are monopoly game pieces attached to your drink or your fries package or your burger box. You can also find the pieces in ads in magazines and newspapers, which I did not remember that the pieces are covered by little flaps that you peel off. And if you find the right combination of Monopoly pieces or the instant win pieces, you win a prize."

She references an advertisement to illustrate the grandeur of the prizes before shifting focus to the fraud.

• Beth Stelling: "[05:36] Win a dream vacation, collect these for a $250,000 home."

• Beth Stelling: "[05:42] What? A home? I don't remember that."

• Misha Brown: "[05:48] Yeah, that's an '87 ad, so houses were way cheaper."

Conclusion and Teasers

As the sample wraps up, Nick and Jack encourage listeners to explore "The Big Flop" for more intriguing stories.

• Nick: "[06:08] And you can watch full episodes of the Big Flop on YouTube or wherever you listen to your podcasts."

Notable Quotes

• Nick: "[00:19] My family ate at McDonald's like six days in a row on the Upper West Side purely to get a Corvette. We didn't get one. Spoiler."

• Ify Wadiwe: "[02:20] It was rigged. The scam worked for more than a decade with the crooks making off with more than 24 million dollars."

• Beth Stelling: "[03:30] It felt like they kept moving the finish line. I mean, I'm over here getting repeat after repeat."

• Misha Brown: "[01:18] Unless of course, you're the Robin Hood of scammers. Or I guess in this case, the Hamburglar of scammers."

Key Takeaways

1. The McDonald's Monopoly Promotion: Initiated in 1987 by Simon Marketing, combining the ubiquitous fast-food chain with the beloved board game to create a compelling marketing campaign.

2. Mechanics of the Game: Customers received Monopoly pieces with purchases, aiming to collect sets for significant prizes, including cars, vacations, and even homes.

3. The Great Fraud: A McDonald's security chief exploited the system, rigging the game to secure high-value prizes, leading to losses exceeding $24 million over a decade.

4. Cultural Impact: Beyond financial implications, the scandal highlighted vulnerabilities in large-scale promotions and the lengths individuals might go to manipulate such systems.

5. Personal Anecdotes: Hosts and guests shared relatable experiences of participating in the sweepstakes, emphasizing the widespread appeal and emotional investment in the promotion.

6. Lessons Learned: The episode underscores the importance of robust security measures in promotional campaigns and serves as a cautionary tale for businesses worldwide.

Conclusion

In this episode of "The Best One Yet," Jack Crivici-Kramer and Nick Martell offer listeners an enticing glimpse into "The Big Flop," using the McDonald's Monopoly scandal as a case study for examining corporate missteps and fraudulent endeavors. Through a blend of personal stories, expert analysis, and engaging discussions, the podcast not only entertains but also educates its audience on the intricacies of business failures and the human elements that contribute to them.

For those interested in uncovering more such intriguing stories, "The Big Flop" is available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms, promising a treasure trove of business blunders and the lessons they impart.