# Edible - Commercial Characters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2010, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398 "2010-01-18T05:18:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/21 "2010-01-18T18:43:17Z")
> [@nikonikosuru](#): > > Goldfish crackers and Chips Ahoy! cookies have become anthropomorphic recently. The former having lyrics to a song to the effect of, “Goldfish crackers, the snack that smiles at you - until you bite their heads off!” :eek: ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/22 "2010-01-18T19:11:00Z")
In this ad for [Pop Tarts](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g675jGrXurQ&feature=related), two anthropomorphic pastries only _think_ they’re in a photo booth. ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/23 "2010-01-18T19:24:06Z")
The one that bothers me is the one with the nutrition drink that starts bossing all the other food in the refrigerator around. “Cupcake, you’re outta here!” There’s a snippet where the corn dog uses a piece of lettuce to parachute out of the refrigerator. But the lettuce head is pictured as one of the healthy snacks. So what does that mean? The corn dog makes a run for it and rips off a piece of the lettuce head to save himself? How macabre. (I was totally going to mention the chick-fil-a ads as being counter to your point, but someone beat me to it.) ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/24 "2010-01-18T21:49:38Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > There’s something a little twisted in commercials that feature edible characters. > > Frosted Mini Wheats are a good example. The current one features them swimming in hot milk from the microwave. They’re happily talking with the kid that’s going to spoon them up, chew’em and swallow (off camera). OMFG!!! The commercial where the daddy mini wheat encourages his daughter to get eaten and give the little brat plenty of energy. I feel like cleaning my retinas with steel wool after that. ---
**Author:** ![nikonikosuru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f8ce5/32.png) [@nikonikosuru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nikonikosuru)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/25 "2010-01-18T23:31:23Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > The former having lyrics to a song to the effect of, “Goldfish crackers, the snack that smiles at you - until you bite their heads off!” :eek: Oh yeah! That always creeped me out, too. The first time I heard it I did a double take and went “Wait…Did I just hear that right?” A bit morbid. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/26 "2010-01-18T23:36:44Z")
> [@Booker57](#): > > I saw the thread title and thought of Erin from esurince. Hope there is room in the handbasket. Mmmmm. Nom nom nom!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/27 "2010-01-18T23:37:47Z")
> [@Taomist](#): > > What…you mean Keebler crackers and cookies AREN’T made out of elves?! > I am EXTREMELY disappointed. Time for some E.L. Fudge cookies for you. They’re at least shaped like elves. D&D geeks that we are, we used to buy the chocolate ones, and joke that we were eating drow. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![MitzeKatze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ad7895/32.png) [@MitzeKatze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MitzeKatze)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/28 "2010-01-19T00:12:29Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > The ones that I found disturbing as a child and still somewhat creepy as an adult are the ones in which talking animals are desperately hoping to be slaughtered and packaged for consumption. Charlie the Tuna of old and the not-Foster Farms chickens of today come to mind, but I’m pretty sure there have been others. Me too! The same goes for restaurants that use a smiling, happy pig or cow as their mascot (BBQ joints are frequently guilty of this). But for true creepiness you have reminded me of the [_Cluckin Chicken_ commercial](http://www.hulu.com/watch/2317/saturday-night-live-cluckin-chicken) parody SNL did a while back. ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/29 "2010-01-19T04:39:28Z")
> [@nikonikosuru](#): > > …I just want to eat you, I don’t want to get to know you. That’s what SHE said. ---
**Author:** ![RainGrowsBrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ed655f/32.png) [@RainGrowsBrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RainGrowsBrite)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/30 "2010-01-19T20:35:46Z")
How about the WienerSchnitzel commercials with the Bunned-HotDog running screaming for his life thru a college dorm. I was on the floor laughing myself to tears when I saw that the first time! Its just such an interesting marketing technique! [http://img.trustcollective.com/duck/ws1.jpg](http://img.trustcollective.com/duck/ws1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Ponch8](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponch8/32/9883_2.png) [@Ponch8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponch8)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/31 "2010-01-19T21:03:52Z")
Similar to the E.L. Fudge cookies, there are Teddy Grahams. The commercials featured teddy bears, which happen to be the shapes of the graham crackers. (Do they still make either of these things?) ---
**Author:** ![Chopper9760](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cdc98d/32.png) [@Chopper9760](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chopper9760)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/32 "2010-01-19T23:37:49Z")
When it comes to animals, [Suicide Food](http://suicidefood.blogspot.com/) has it covered. The ad animals that garner the [‘5 nooses’](http://suicidefood.blogspot.com/search/label/5%20nooses) tag are not only suicidal but sexualized. I love their commentary about the Burger King Tendercrisp commercial, the one with the jealous cow. I think that commercial is hilarious and I did try a TC sandwich largely because the ads were funny. Apparently I’m a sick food pervert, hello hand basket. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/33 "2010-01-19T23:43:58Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > [Charlie the Tuna](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_the_Tuna) was especially interesting because he actively _tried_ to be eaten and was disappointed when he was rejected. Real death wish there. You know what I’m learning about SDMB? That by the time I get to a thread some clever lad or lass has beaten me to a comment. And even as a kid I thought Charlie was a weird way to advertise…though I certainly did like the “Ask any mermaid” jingle. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/34 "2010-01-20T04:12:22Z")
[Milliways](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucNYLsjKaTQ#t=6m19s) has the famous cow that was specifically bred with a desire to be eaten. This is of course impossible. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/35 "2010-01-20T04:48:07Z")
It’s not a food ad, but this is the most disturbing sentient food commercial, hands down: [the flavors of a fallen friend](http://mike.peay.us/blog/archives/439). ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/36 "2010-01-20T05:05:38Z")
> [@MitzeKatze](#): > > But for true creepiness you have reminded me of the [_Cluckin Chicken_ commercial](http://www.hulu.com/watch/2317/saturday-night-live-cluckin-chicken) parody SNL did a while back. Yes, that’s what I thought of. The video’s taking a while to load for me, so [here’s a transcript](http://snltranscripts.jt.org/92/92gchicken.phtml). ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/37 "2010-01-20T13:16:22Z")
It’s not a commercial character, but the **Shmoos** in Al Capp’s strip _Li’l Abner_ were somewhat anthropomorphic beasties that wanted nothing more than to be cooked and eaten: > **[Shmoo](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shmoo)** > > The shmoo (plural: shmoos, also shmoon) is a fictional cartoon creature created by Al Capp (1909–1979); the character first appeared in the comic strip Li'l Abner on August 31, 1948. The popular character has gone on to influence pop culture, language, geopolitics, human history, and even science. > A shmoo is shaped like a plump bowling pin with stubby legs. It has smooth skin, eyebrows, and sparse whiskers—but no arms, nose, or ears. Its feet are short and round, but dexterous, as the shmoo's co... ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398/38 "2010-01-20T13:42:54Z")
The most extreme example I can think of is Peperami, a beef jerky-ish meat snack from the UK. Try these on for size: [Too spicy](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4q2LLX5oLw&feature=related) [Cannibalism](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IK_CffzwzPE&feature=related) [First day of school](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq3hLpE2xuo) The double meaning of “It’s a bit of an animal” also makes it one of the best advertising slogans EVER. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/edible-commercial-characters/525398.md?page=1)