But what’s more amazing than the mint fountain is the reaction from Mentos and Diet Coke to the popular video.

According to an article in today’s Wall Street Journal (subscription required), Mentos is thrilled by all of the publicity, while Coca-Cola is less than impressed with its beverage being used as a science experiment.

“We would hope people want to drink [Diet Coke] more than try experiments with it,” Susan McDermott, Coke spokeswoman, said to the WSJ. According to the story, Diet Coke’s sales were almost flat last year as consumers become more health conscious.

Mentos, on the other hand, is looking into somehow pairing with the Maine duo to create demonstrations of the fountain nationwide. The candy, under the ownership of Perfetti Van Melle, is known for its bizarre ads under the “Fresmaker” campaign it successfully launched in the 1990s. It’s no surprise that they’re excited by the video.

“We are tickled pink by it,” Pete Healy, vice president of marketing for the company’s U.S. division, told the WSJ.

The video and related buzz are great examples of how powerful today’s word-of-mouth advertising and Internet outlets are compared to traditional MSM tactics. By looking to incorporate the fountain idea into their current marketing efforts, Mentos will surely attract customers curious to see if they can re-create the experiment themselves.

They may not be eating (or drinking) the product, as Coke noted, but who can argue with higher sales?

To see the fountain in action, check out the video below.