“Who lives in a pineapple under the sea!”
There’s no doubt that many millennials and the kids at heart will recognize those eight word lyrics right away, As “SpongeBob SquarePants” has become one of the most successful and popular animated series ever made, Created by the late animator and marine biologist Stephen Hillenburg, It’s huge success has led to become not only Nickelodeon’s long running Nicktoon to date, But also their most profitable property in terms of merchandise, Generating over $16 billion in revenue, Inevitably spawning loads of various media……….Including the theatrical feature film “The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie”, Which of course then spawned three other sequels as well as two spin off films as well.
Now regarding the first movie…………Around late 2004………as tie in to “The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie”………..Burger King (Who was and still is a big contributor to Spongebob’s kids meal toys) Decided to promote the movie………..By putting up giant 9 foot tall inflatables of the yellow sponge, (Created by a company known as “Inflatable Images”) On top of the rooftop, Of about 4.700 Burger King establishments.
Apparently, This promotional stunt, Became………..Infamous………..For an unfortunate phenomenon, Known as “Spongenappings”…………..
About a month into the promotion, There were reports of several Burger King locations, Having their inflatable of the yellow sponge being stolen!, This resulted in people who had supposedly stolen these inflatables to sell on Ebay, for a large amount of money or to leave ransom notes. Several news outlets and Burger King locations around the United States said that if anyone had found their inflatable SpongeBob somewhere or know potentially know who stole the balloon, they would give that person "Burger Bucks".
Apparently, The inflatables were found in unusually strange places, Such as apartment complexes, In the middle of the woods, And even house fires!
Eventually, All of the formerly stolen inflatables, were either given back to a Burger King location or were damaged beyond repair and were trashed all together, Believe it or not!, There are still people today who own the inflatables , Either legally from distributors from Burger King, Or illegally from the rooftops of the restaurant, As well as people either keeping them as a “Collector’s item” or have sold them on Ebay……..
A bit of bizarre Spongebob trivia for you.
izzy806
gummygunk
annaxmalina
jacobvanloon
