Streaming columnist NICK OVERALL reports on an amusing new documentary that tells the true story of the time Pepsi’s company’s advertising department bit off more than it could chew.

MADONNA, Michael Jackson, Britney Spears, Marlon Brando, Michael J. Fox. What do they have in common? 

They’ve all tried to sell you Pepsi. 

Even this is only scratching the surface of the star power the soft drink company has recruited in its attempts to peddle Coca-Cola’s ultimate competitor.

According to many sources, PepsiCo has been known to drop more than three billion dollars a year on advertising.

While it’s made the brand one of the best known in the world, an amusing new Netflix doco tells the true story of the time the company’s advertising department bit off more than it could chew.

“Pepsi, Where’s My Jet?” is the David vs Goliath tale of a wily 20-year-old who took PepsiCo to court to try to get a military aircraft out of them. 

Yes, military aircraft. The young man believed he was fully entitled to a Harrier jet paid for and delivered by the seller of his favourite soft drink. Let me explain.

In the ’90s when Pepsi  was at the height of its advertising ambition, it  came up with “Pepsi Stuff” – what they thought was their surest attempt yet to give Coke a run for its money.

The idea was similar to a loyalty system many brands use today. The more cans of Pepsi people bought, the more points they could redeem on items the company itself would provide.

It could be MP3 song downloads, denim clothes, mountain bikes or whatever else ‘90s teens thought was phat at the time.

In one of their characteristically bombastic attempts to flog stock, a television ad for Pepsi Stuff featured a teenager cashing in seven million of these points to score himself a fighter jet.

“Sure beats the bus!” he says as he lands the military aircraft outside his school – complete with leather jacket and Maverick-style Aviators.

A harmless joke? Well, there was no fine print and no T&Cs to say so and it turns out one kid from Seattle wanted to hold them to it.

This four-part documentary details his elaborate masterplan to buy more than 16 million Pepsi cans in order to score the plane that was promised in the commercial. 

The project outrageously grew in complexity – requiring investors, staff, trucks, storage space and so much more in order to fully exploit the loophole.

As one might imagine, it turns out Pepsi wasn’t thrilled about the idea of handing over the plane.

With editing as fizzy as a can of cola, this is some easy, innocent entertainment that comes packaged with a playful perusal of ‘90s culture.

MEANWHILE, this month Stan is sporting a new take on “Dangerous Liaisons”.

The tale of French nobles locked in a battle of love and lust amidst pre-revolutionary Paris has had quite the shelf life. 

There have been five film adaptations alone of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’s famous novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” – a story first published 240 years ago. 

That’s not to mention the dozens of plays, ballets, operas, radio shows and more that have seen potential in the rich repartee of the source material.

Now in its latest television evolution, “Dangerous Liaisons” wants to cross swords with other pithy period pieces that have proven a hit with streamers.

“Bridgerton”, “The Great”, “The Serpent Queen”, “Marie Antoinette” have all had their time in the spotlight this year and managed to keep viewers eagerly coming back for more.

But While “Dangerous Liaisons” has similar potential, this is sadly one version that struggles to hold its own at court. 

The Baroque sets here are as authentic as the hair feathers on the character’s heads, but beyond this the show doesn’t seem to really care about the period it’s set in or the source material itself.

It’s a modern soap-opera that’s wrapped itself in a historical setting in order to cash in on a fad.

The show doesn’t even bother with trying to follow the original story. Instead, it makes itself a prequel to the novel to free up its script while still claiming the brand recognition.

And, hey, for viewers that just want a bit of gossip and soap, this’ll be a winner.

For everyone else, there’s more substance to be found in the 1988 film version with Glenn Close, John Malkovich and a baby-faced Keanu Reeves that’s also on Stan.

Even “Cruel Intentions”, the corny ’90s version about rich New York high schoolers on Amazon Prime Video captures the source material better.

It stars Sarah Michelle Geller, who became another icon of the decade for her role as Buffy the Vampire Slayer. 

And the beginning of her life of fame? A quick Google of her Pepsi ad brings us full circle.