In what the company described as a live social experiment, Honest Tea set up unmanned pop-up stores in cities nationwide yesterday where passersby could purchase bottles of tea based on the honor system – though with cameras watching discreetly, according to an article on westseattleherald.com.
The stands were placed in Chicago, Cincinnati, Miami, Washington D.C., Boston, Philadelphia, Dallas, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and consumers were asked to pay for each bottle by dropping one dollar through a slit in a clear plastic box.
The results of the test were posted on the campaign’s website, HonestCities.com. Chicago was determined to be the most honest city where 99 percent of consumers paid for each bottle taken, though only 86 percent of those in New York, found to be the least honest city, did the same. However, the website pointed out that the results were not scientifically accurate, skewed at times by people putting in too much money, fake bills and, in some cases, paying with I.O.U’s. The proceeds from the campaign will be donated to a charity chosen by fans of Honest Tea’s Facebook page.