Dr. Pepper's Chinese Democracy press release

[Ines_rocks!]

LOl guess they are going to have a higher demand then they thought they would!

[willow]

Thats great! i got mine and I drank one on the way to Bestbuy!

[FunkyMonkey]

DR PEPPER Free-Drink Offer Not Working Out As Planned - Nov. 23, 2008

According to WalletPop.com, Dr Pepper's web site appears to be having a hard time keeping up with demand for a soda following the soft drink manufacturer's announcement earlier in the year that it would give a free drink to everyone if GUNS N' ROSES' long-awaited new album, "Chinese Democracy", album actually dropped in 2008.

Interested fans are being asked to visit DrPepper.com today (November 23), the day "Chinese Democracy" is released in the U.S. exclusively via Best Buy. After registering online, fans will receive a coupon redeemable for a 20-oz. Dr Pepper wherever the drink is sold.

The twist: the coupon is only available for 24 hours and will expire on February 28.

Repeated attempts by WalletPop.com staff to reach DrPepper.com have resulted mainly in a longtime "loading" message on the main page. When WalletPop.com has managed to get in, the coupon location wasn't immediately clear. It's apparently behind "Promotions" and then "Free Dr Pepper" ? but then that page wasn't loading for WalletPop.com either.

Then WalletPop.com tried 1-888-drpepper (1-888-377-3773), as recommended to the site by a company spokesman. WalletPop.com called midday and got an operator after a 15-minute wait.

The spokesman also said the company was working to add more servers to handle the web traffic ? this also around noon, 12 hours into the 24-hour promotion.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=109471

[Ines_rocks!]

Well... no one actually gives anything for free... and when they "sort of" do, it has to be in a way they won't lose any profits on its production...

[GnR-NOW]

Theres a fuckin surprise

[cineater]

We're just the fan base to do it too!

[FunkyMonkey]

I was able to get through to 1-888-drpepper (1-888-377-3773) to get mine, but after a while on hold.  She said that they have 20 agents working the phones and they are very busy.

[bazgnr]

They'd better extend that deadline then, don't you think.  I know I don't want to spend 20 minutes on hold.

[Buddha_Master]

Its as funny as it is ridiculous.

[bazgnr]

Scratch that.  I was on hold for less than 5 minutes, and the lady took my information and sent me (5) certificates for all the people I was calling for.  Including my 18 month old daughter and parents.    I offered her individual information, but she only wanted mine.   Quick and easy.

[nekomex]

of course it was going to crash, how many people visit dr.pepper web site in a normal day? 2 or 3

they should have been more prepared for their promotion.

[thesloth]

This is what happens when marketing makes a decision and does not talk to the IT department.  As soon as they said 1 day only for the coupon I and anyone that knows a tiny bit about servers knew this would happen.  I love how they make it sound like adding more servers will be simple and only take an hour or two. 

[loretian]

This is what happens when marketing makes a decision and does not talk to the IT department.  As soon as they said 1 day only for the coupon I and anyone that knows a tiny bit about servers knew this would happen.  I love how they make it sound like adding more servers will be simple and only take an hour or two. 

It could very well be the case, especially in a virtualized cluster environment.  Anyway, even if they had to build the servers from scratch, as long as they have the hardware, it shouldn't take more than 2-3 hours to get more servers up and running.  (unless they're IT department and setup is total crap........)

[FunkyMonkey]

From the Los Angeles Times...

While the world may want some Guns N' Roses ? the album has received more than 65 million plays on MySpace ? apparently people don't mess around when it comes to some free soda-pop. As of mid-Sunday afternoon, Dr. Pepper is owning seven (SEVEN!) of the top 10 slots on Google Trends.

But if you go to Dr. Pepper's actual website to try to snare a voucher for your free soda, good luck. You'll likely get a server error. As earlier reported, the free Dr. Pepper was supposed to be just a one-day promotion. Those who fill out a form will receive a coupon redeemable for one soda in 4 to 6 weeks, according to the site. But unprepared for the demand, will Dr. Pepper extend the promotion? Here's hoping, as Pop & Hiss doesn't want to see what happens to a country full of citizens who are denied their free soda.

[Annie]

I have not been able to get through!

[oldgunsfan]

i went online last night around 12:05am

[JuicySwoos]

I tried last night, this morning, and just now.  No luck.  I don't even want to drink the damned soda, I just want to have that cooopin as a souvenier.

[FunkyMonkey]

I was able to get through to 1-888-drpepper (1-888-377-3773) to get mine, but after a while on hold.  She said that they have 20 agents working the phones and they are very busy.

There is a message up on the site now that read (this phone number is different from was previously posted).

Click here to get a Free Dr Pepper for a limited time. If you are having trouble submitting your information, please contact our consumer relations line at 1-800-696-5891.

[JuicySwoos]

Of course...line is busy...

[uzisuicide2002]

hahaha they are trying to fucks us out of it! i hate Dr. Pepper any who.