An honesty test on a crowded Lima street
As part of an experiment in a very crowded Lima district in Peru, Coca-Cola with their agency McCann Erickson deliberately left a wallet containing $100 on the street. With it they tested people’s honesty.
A $100 question, asked in public
The brilliance is how quickly the situation reads. Find the wallet. Notice the money. Decide what kind of person you want to be, with nobody asking you anything.
In social experiment storytelling, a simple moral trigger creates instant comprehension and invites viewers to project themselves into the decision.
Why you keep watching
You are not just judging strangers. You are quietly measuring yourself against what you hope you would do. That internal comparison is the engine of the film.
What the experiment is trying to reveal
People’s honesty, observed in a real public setting through a simple, high-stakes trigger.
What to borrow
- Choose a mechanic that is universal and legible without narration.
- Keep production minimal so human reaction stays central.
- Let the audience do the interpreting. A good social test creates its own debate.
A few fast answers before you act
What did Coca-Cola do in Lima?
They left a wallet containing $100 on the street in a crowded district to test people’s honesty.
Where did this take place?
In a crowded district of Lima, Peru.
Who created the campaign?
The post credits Coca-Cola and McCann Erickson.
What was the point of the experiment?
To observe how people would react when they found a wallet with money in a real-world public setting.
