Homemade Commercial: Giant Chicken Likes Potato Chips

Here is a fairly hilarious user generated commercial for Lays Potato chips. Bob likes potato chips. Giant chicken likes potato chips. Bob doesn't like to share. Need I say more? Link

Branding Run Amok: Route 11 Potato Chips

I'm all for advertising, but I have limits to the amount of hyperbole I can withstand on a single package of potato chips.

Take for example this bag of Route 11 potato chips. The tag line at the bottom of all their bags these days is:
"Made in Limited Quantities, but in Unlimited Quality."

First of all, is it possible to make ANYTHING in unlimited quantities? What are they trying to contrast themselves with? Are they saying Lays and Wise makes their potato chips in infinite quantities? It doesn't take and economics expert to figure out where the supply/demand curve ends up when there is an infinite supply.

Second of all, what is with the "unlimited quality" claim right next to the expiration date? Are they saying that going stale as of February 2008 is not a limitation to the quality of their chips? Ridiculous.



On the back of the bag, there is another branding-run-amok display on the mailing address. Because these are "Route 11" potato chips, they somehow feel it is more in line with the brand to include "Route 11" not only in the Name of the company but also the first line of the address, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE A POST OFFICE BOX.

Just to make sure I wasn't over-reacting, I checked the address out with the U.S. Post Office address verification service. Sure enough, the post office address scrubber drops the U.S. Route 11 off the address.

Come on, people. Give me a break.

I invite all opinions via the comment link below, or via writing at:
Traveling Munchies
c/o Traveling Munchies
travelingmunchies@travelingmunchies.com

Traveling Munchies Radio - Episode 1: Fruit snack vs. nut snack

We are experimenting with trying to add audio to the Traveling Munchies experience. To that end, here is the first experimental sound track of the Traveling Munchies crew analyzing the local vending machine and debating the age old topic: Would you rather be a fruit snack or a nut snack?

To listen, download the mp3 file here.

Lays runs out of ideas for potato chip flavors

Can it be that the good folks at Lay's have completely run out of ideas for potato chip flavors? While reading the back of a Lay's Original Potato Chips bag, I read the following:

...We add salt for flavor as the final touch. In fact, we can't think of anything else that would make our crispy chips more delicious.

Say What???? A quick trip to the Lay's Website revealed a long list of flavors other than "salt".

LAY'S Chile Limon Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Dill Pickle Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S FLAMIN' HOT® Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Hot'n Spicy Barbeque Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Kettle Cooked Jalapeno Potato Chips
LAY'S Kettle Cooked Maui Onion Potato Chips
LAY'S Kettle Cooked Mesquite BBQ Potato Chips
LAY'S Kettle Cooked Original Potato Chips
LAY'S Kettle Cooked Reduced Fat Original Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Kettle Cooked Sea Salt & Vinegar Potato Chips
LAY'S Light KC Masterpiece® Barbeque Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Light Original Potato Chips
LAY'S Lightly Salted Potato Chips
LAY'S Limon Tangy Lime Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Natural Country BBQ Thick Cut Potato Chips
LAY'S Salt & Vinegar Artificially Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Sour Cream & Onion Artificially Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Wavy Au Gratin Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Wavy Hickory BBQ Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Wavy Ranch Flavored Potato Chips
LAY'S Wavy Regular Potato Chips

What kind of super dysfunctional siloed organization is Lays if the marketing team for the original flavor potato chips has no idea about the other flavors the company makes?

I suppose there is an alternative explanation. Perhaps, it is the "more delicious" part that matters. Maybe they mean that all those alternative flavors are not "more delicious" but, at best, equally delicious if not inferior. "This is it folks, we tried and tried and this is as delicious as it gets. If you don't like this chip then you won't like any of our chips. We have completely run out of ideas so you might as well stop now and switch to pretzels."

Snack like a pirate on National Talk Like a Pirate Day

Ahoy there ye scurvy dogs. The 19th o' September be National Talk Like a Pirate Day so I thought it only be fittin' to examine a snack fit for a pirate.

This here picture be from a bag o' Pirate's Booty popcorn snack. Only I don't be thinkin' tis the work o' a real pirate. Look what it says thar on the package.

"Thar be good"

Tisn't the way to be sayin' that matey. By rights, that ought to be:

"They be good"

"Thar" is to be used to indicate a place like "Thar she blows".

If your wantin' to be talkin' like a pirate proper, then set sail for the english-to-pirate translator and do it the right way.

Virtual Potato Chip Collection: photos of boutiuqe chip bags

Unewsman01 has started a virtual collection of all the various boutique potato chip bags he runs across.

My personal favorites so far from this newly started potato chip collection are "Mama Zuma's Revenge" and "Sweet Chili and Sour Cream". The latter of which sounds to me like some sort of colorful saying you run across in sterotype movies of the south, like Dukes of Hazard. I've now taken to annoying friends and family alike with exclamations such as:

"Sweet Chili and Sour Cream it's hot today!"

Greatest Snack Commercial Ever

I just saw what may be the best snack commercial ever. At the very least it is the greatest I have seen in a long time. It is a totally senseless, yet LOL funny commercial for Cadbury chocolate. Check it out here.