Alternate:
Black tip on tail
Current:
No black tip on tail
No colored tip anymore
Pikachu is often shown with either a red or black tip on his tail, but the official images of him today show this missing.
This Mass Memory Discrepancy Effect instance might well be the record for the number actual examples of the "incorrect" version available today. There are hundreds of examples just an internet search away, yet the Wikipedia official page shows no sign of this.
Small details like this may seem unimporant, but they serve as a great way to illustrate quickly what all the fuss is about. So many people grew up with the charaacter and remember drawing him, so for them this is a kind of childhood memory which suddenly jolted their reality.
There are some die-hard Pikachu fans who grew up drawing him and remember a plain tail - so where did the colored one come from and why is it so widespread?
Alternate:
The Monopoly man had a monocle
Current:
The Monopoly man did not have a monocle
Did the Monopoly Man really never wear a monocle?
Is there a Mass Memory Discrepancy Effect at work on the most famous board game in the world?
When most people picture the man in the logo, they often recall him wearing a monocle, and claim it's always been that way since his introduction in 1935.
Several references to him wearing one exist - see the video for some newspaper articles regarding this.
Some people are claiming he was wearing one only on some of the cards he appeared on, and not on the box or in any of the ads.
Next time you meet someone unaware of the effect, ask them to describe him - you may well be very suprised to see how widespread this one is!
Alternate:
Kit-Kat
Current:
Kit Kat
Dash or no dash?
Few people realise the name "Kit Kat" or "Kit Cat" for a type of food goes back to the 18th century, when mutton pies known as a Kit-Kat were served at meetings of the political Kit-Cat Club in London.
It seems the popular chocolate bar took its name from this, which definitely had a dash in when used by the Kit-Cat club. Those experiencing the Mass Memory Discrepancy Effect say they too remember the dash in the chocolate snack's name years ago, but today it has none and no references to the version with the dash ever existing can be found.
Time for a break?
Alternate:
Crispy Creme
Current:
Krispy Kreme
A double MMDE!
This is unusual - two Mass Memory Discrepancy Effects with the same brand!
First we have the people claiming it used to be spelt "Crispy Creme" but can't find any reference to that today, even though they swear it once was.
Then we have those who look closely at the logo and read it as "Kuspy Kreme". You can see why when you look at the logo - the typeface does lend itself to this reading. What is different is how it seems to suddenly jump out at people as "wrong", even though it can be shown as always having been that way right back to 1937.
Take at look again at the logo here - can you see "Kuspy Kreme"?
Alternate:
Smokey the Bear
Current:
Smokey Bear
Only YOU can prevent forest fires
Was he "Smokey Bear" or "Smokey the bear"?
Our lovable friend seems to have been on TV forever, and now on the internet in the form of ads, but every time you see him now he's just called Smokey Bear. Those experiencing the Mass memory Discrepancy Effect are sure this has changed, and remember him as "Smokey the Bear."
The popular song from 1952 has the word "the" added, but that might just be artistic licence in order to keep the rhythm going.
To anyone under 40 this seems to not be an issue - they remember it as wee see today, "Smokey Bear". There are one or two references still around to "the", however.
Alternate:
Chic-fil-a
Current:
Chick-fil-a
Exactly how was it spelt?
Since its founding in 1946, Americans have loved the chicken sandwiches served by the famous chain known as Chick-fil-a. But wait - have they? Many are claiming the spelling was always Chic-fil-a and has been changed somehow by the Mass Memory Discrepancy Effect.
There is understandable confusion here. If you say both versions out loud, they are similar, although the correct pronunciation of "Chic" might well escape many. Furthermore, from a marketing point of view both have merits - one is merely stating what the product is, "Chick" short for "Chicken", and the other is a way of association the product with something that is seen as cool, i.e. "Chic".
Alternate:
No arrow
Current:
Has an arrow pointing North East
Did the Volvo logo change?
Those apparently experiencing the Mass Memory Discrepancy Effect remember the Volvo symbol as a simple circle, yet all references to it today show the male "arrow" has been added pointing to the upper right hand corner.
The waters are muddied with this one. On their hubcaps, the logo didn't have the arrow until 2006.
It also is interesting to note the arrow is also the symbol for iron, so any kind of sexism reference might be misguided.
On a general point, arguing that companies tinker with their brand logos is always suspect. Volvo are over a hundred years old. Their instant brand recognition is of utmost importance to them, so claiming they changed their logo when it's been out there in the public consciousness for decades, without any major fanfare, is a lot to take in.