Isabelle Hood
Turn back the clock to 2013: One audacious teenager unveils the ‘not-quite-footlong’ Subway sandwich scandal! That innocent act of curiosity sparked a heated controversy, as it turned out that the footlong sandwich was, in fact, not a foot long. This revelation triggered a series of events that led to a massive legal showdown three years later.
By 2016, the popular sandwich chain found itself in court, settling a class-action lawsuit over its misleading sandwich size. The company agreed to ensure that its sandwich rolls measured a full 12 inches, living up to the ‘footlong’ claim. The settlement was on track to go through smoothly, but there was one particular aspect that raised eyebrows. The legal team representing the claimants stood to receive a whopping $520,000 in fees, a fact that didn’t sit well with some.
One such person was activist and legal writer Theodore Frank, who argued that the settlement was unfair as it seemed to primarily benefit the attorneys. The presiding judge agreed with Frank’s assessment and took decisive action. He dismissed both the settlement and the entire case, bringing an unexpected end to the ‘footlong’ saga. Thus, the curious incident of the short Subway sandwich became a tale of legal wrangling and courtroom surprises.
You’ve heard the catchy phrase, right? “Red Bull gives you wings!” Well, in 2016, some Red Bull drinkers claimed they were still grounded and disappointingly wingless. In fact, they argued that not only did the energy drink not give them the ability to fly, or even any metaphorical wings, but they didn’t feel any more energized than before. No wings, no extra pep in their step, nothing. Their disappointment was so profound that they decided to take their grievances to court.
These ground-bound customers rallied together, launching a class-action lawsuit against the iconic energy drink company. Their beef? Red Bull’s advertising was misleading, making promises about improved focus and energy that simply didn’t materialize. “Where’s the evidence?” they argued. Perhaps they had hoped the slogan would result in a sudden surge of productivity or an uncanny ability to concentrate on work at hand, but alas, they found themselves as earth-bound and ordinary as before.
Keen to avoid the spectacle of a court case with arguments likely revolving around wings and energy levels, Red Bull decided to nip the issue in the bud with an out-of-court settlement. They agreed to cough up $640,000 – an amount that could probably buy a lot of chicken wings! In the end, Red Bull may not have given these customers wings, but it sure did make their wallets a little heavier. Now, that’s an energy boost of a different kind!
