On April 1, 1996, the fast-food chain Taco Bell announced that they had acquired one of America’s most historic relics, the Liberty Bell. Taco Bell went all out by purchasing full-page advertisements in seven major local newspapers, including the Philadelphia Inquirer. In those ads, the fast-food chain announced that they had not only bought the Liberty Bell but officially renamed it “The Taco Liberty Bell.” Furthermore, they claimed that they had cut a deal with the government through which the purchase of the landmark would help the country to pay off the national debt.
The prank resulted in furious Americans calling the National Park Service to express their outrage. Despite public backlash, White House press secretary Mike McCurry joined in on the fun, jokingly announcing, “Ford Motor Company is joining today in an effort to refurbish the Lincoln Memorial. … It will be the Lincoln Mercury Memorial.” Joking aside, the gag was no small financial commitment for Taco Bell, as the advertisements cost $300,000 — though the whole prank ultimately generated around $25 million in ads, and sales spiked by $600,000 the next day.