Fashion faux pas
Let’s set aside my love affair with real maple syrup* and concentrate instead on the fact that Pinnacle Foods, which makes Mrs. Butterworth’s, is trying to turn its bottles into toys by having kids download “up to 60 playful accessories” for its new “spring collection.” From the press release:
“Mrs. Butterworth’s syrup debuts three newly outfitted limited-edition bottles in select stores, each featuring a unique spring look that unlocks a different downloadable cut-out accessory collection online, encouraging family fun at the breakfast table. … From dress-up to game day to a beach party, Mrs. Butterworth’s has accessories for every occasion.”
Corn Syrup Couture for the whole family!
Things kicked off with a “Family Breakfast Ball” Sunday in Atlanta, which generated a ton of publicity and the predictable gushing among bloggers quick to sell their souls for free samples. Sigh.
*For the record, real maple syrup does not contain: high-fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, salt, cellulose gum, molasses, potassium sorbate (preservative), sodium hexametaphosphate, natural and artifical flavor (caramel color, corn syrup), artificial flavor, citric acid, caramel color, mono and diglycerides.
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Well, I have to say: It’s a brilliant marketing plan. And this is why we’re in the precarious position we’re in environmentally and health wise. Maybe we should start marketing little vests and ascots so kids can dress up their apples?
Mrs. Butterworth’s doesn’t contain butter either?? Who’d a thunk it?
PS: I clicked on the link to the Mrs. B ingredients, and right next to it on the Wal-Mart site? An ad for 1 gallon of Pennzoil.
Ah, Larry, but it’s “buttery”!
Gallon of oil. Gallon of “syrup.” Po-tay-to. Po-tah-to.
Love this post, the whole M. Butterworth promo is so ridiculous. And by the way, the original Mr. Potato Head consisted of the hats, faces, etc that were then poked into real potatoes and other veggies. Maybe we should bring this idea back so kids can dress up their apples and potatoes!
Nothing surprises me anymore…sad.
I’ve officially seen it all now. This is pretty bad. What happened to the FTC cracking down on food manufacturers marketing to kids? I’m pretty sure no adult is going to dress up Mrs Butterworth.
Gina, I know, right? Love how all the PR is careful to say “family.” But come on now.
I wonder what would have happened had some of those families at the Family Breakfast Ball had brought their own bottles of real maple syrup? 😀
BYOS! WordVixen, you’re making me wish I’d been in Atlanta just for the tweaking potential.
I’m so grateful for your blog, seriously, it’s so good to be kept informed about this kind of thing. I *hate* that large corporates are going after kids in marketing like this, it’s actually quite distasteful!
that’s okay let the sheeple continue buying hte junk – more maple syrup for the rest of us :))
Blessings!
LIB
love your line: corn syrup couture for the whole family.
the garbage these companies put out there and call “food” is an absolute joke.
Yup, and that is why we never shop in huge grocery stores!
We only use pure maple syrup. We just don’t need all that fake stuff!
Oh good grief! My fresh redbeets just burned! I forgot I had them on the stove!
I’m so glad I discovered your blog! This morning I threw my Aunt Jemima in the trash and opened my first bottle of pure maple syrup. I almost had a heart attack when I read the ingredients on my AJ bottle as I was throwing it away. I do my best to feed my family pure, organic ingredients but never really considered syrup. Thanks to you, there will no longer be hard-to-pronounce, unrecognizable ingredients on our pancakes and waffles.
Go, Gia! Any day someone trades AJ for the real stuff is a good day.