SoBe Customers Worry Over 'Help Me' Messages Printed in Bottle Caps

Consumers of SoBe beverages are getting worried after finding a cry for help imprinted under their products' bottle caps so much so that many of them posted photos of the actual thing over Facebook.

The plea reads "HELP ME TRAPPED IN SOBE FACTORY," alerting netizens who happened to have a camera phone on hand and Facebook account to share the message on.

Consumers were alarmed and posted the photos directly on the company's official Facebook page. See what they have to say here and here.

But a Buzzfeed report revealed that the concerning message was the company's attempt at a joke, which was made to give their customers "a little smile or pause for thought."

Unfortunately, no one finds it funny and, apparently, no one is smiling even a little because everyone — except the beverage manufacturer, maybe — does not see a person being trapped in a factory as something to laugh about.

This made Today recall an incident when a factory desperate laborer was forced to resort to sending a literal message to the world using a bottle as well as other incidents where workers who were forced into labor pleaded for help through different means including sewing an SOS message in a dress.

Today cited the alarming numbers of people forced into working posted in the International Labour Organization's website, a matter that should always be taken seriously, especially with 21 million reported cases of forced labor.

Meanwhile, the company got word of their trending bottle cap message as well as the masses' reaction to it.

Though there has been no official statement from SoBe yet, the company reportedly resorted to commenting over Facebook how they felt about the issue.

"Hi there, we're sorry that our cap slogan caused you concern, that was certainly not our intention. These sayings are intended to give our consumers a little smile or pause for thought, not offense, while they enjoy their favorite SoBe beverage," SoBe commented on one of the photos, adding that they plan on removing bottles that contain the message.

"We are planning on removing this cap slogan from our current rotation, however, it will take a while for existing stock to run through the market," they explained.

A spokesperson from SoBe allegedly told ABC News that those who posted photos of the bottle cap understood that the message was a joke, noting that they have not received complaints from concerned consumers regarding this matter.

The unnamed company representative explained that the bottle caps' message was part of their 2013 contest "Message in a Bottle," where consumers were invited to submit fun and hilarious messages for the beverages' bottle caps though it was unclear whether the plea was submitted by a customer joining the contest.