Snacks and Violence, Cont'd

I’ve added a new category to the blog, “Aggression,” to cover what looks to be a mini-trend: overt hostility in snack-food advertising. Last year, you may recall, I reported on the Cheetos “Headbutt Your Mouth’s Face” campaign and on Ruffles’ Double-Fisted Bacon Cheeseburger chips. And now, thanks to the intrepid eaters over at Impulsive Buy (“Putting the ‘ew’ in product reviews”), I’ve learned the brand promise of Blue Ox Jerky: “Our jerky punches gas station jerky IN THE FACE.”

 

Photo enhanced from the original at Impulsive Buy.

Impulsive Buy contributor Adam reports that his sample pack included a bumper sticker:

“I guess they’re not exactly courting the female demographic, huh?” Adam observes.

The Blue Ox Jerky website carries over the theme:

 

“Fanciful woodland pixies” isn’t exactly “fairies,” but the implication is, nonetheless, clear. (Elsewhere, the home page declares that “Real Men Also Use Coupons—Get One on Our Facebook Page.”)

Speaking of fanciful, the website includes a legend—or a shaggy ox story—that rambles on about Paul Bunyan’s brother Saul and his adventures with the Swedish spice traders the Jürke brothers. As you may recall from your American folk history, the giant lumberjack Paul Bunyan had a blue ox named Babe. In the Blue Ox Jerky version, poor Babe gets trapped in a barn fire that brother Saul extinguishes with teriyaki sauce. Babe dies; jerky rises from the ashes.

BOJ products are divided into “Meats” and “Unmeats” (“Because we don’t believe in the word ‘vegetarian’”). A sticker announces that Smoked Tofu Jerky has been discontinued “for being pointless and disgusting.” But I love smoked tofu, you (and I) protest! Tough Bunyans: clicking on “Tofu Discontinued” takes you to a What Would Saul Do? quiz. Answer correctly and you earn your Man Card; slip up and your “Application for Manhood” is denied with a sneer: “Wrong choice, Sally. Try again, and maybe ask your boyfriend this time.”

Ouch.

How does Blue Ox Jerky taste? I defer to Adam at Impulsive Buy. He liked a couple of the flavors:

But judging by some of the beef jerky I’ve had from gas stations, the Blue Ox wouldn’t be able to last more than a few rounds in the ring. Still, it’s better than what you’ll find at the Dollar Store. Maybe they should change their slogan to “Punches Dollar Store Jerky in the Face.”

Or how about this: “We Put the Jerk in Jerky.”

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Speaking of face punching, head butting, etc., here’s a 2006 Canadian commercial for 7Up that goes beyond threats. Hat tip: Chris Smith.

Comments

[Saul Bunyan]

Hi Nancy! First of all, thanks for the post! We're glad you like our marketing efforts enough to write about them. We have very thick skin here at BlueOx Jerky and can always appreciate feedback. At first we were just going to chuckle and move on, but there were a couple items we felt we should clear up as you made some assumptions without doing any research.

1.) Your entire message is rather amusing; except the part where you take our quote “Real men eat jerky, and as legend has it, those who don’t turn into fanciful woodland pixies” and suggest implications as to an ulterior meaning. We find this childish, unnecessary, and extremely inaccurate. If you would have taken 10 minutes to talk to us on the phone, or send us an email, you would never have made that obnoxious statement.

2.) We have many unmeat (vegetable) friends, and none of them are sluts as you reference in your article: Friends with Benefits ( http://nancyfriedman.typepad.com/away_with_words/2012/04/friends-with-benefits.html ). We think it is a little judgmental and presumptuous to say friends with benefits = slut.

3.) As taste is subjective we have people that love us and people that hate us. We don’t mind at all, in fact we love the fact that everyone has their own tastes and can express themselves. It is funny, however, that you did not try our product to form your own opinion, nor did you list any reviews with an alternate view… Just a thought, but presenting your criticism the way you did makes you seen biased and one-sided. Take it, or leave it, just my 2 cents.

4.) We are definitely not for everyone. Specifically, we market our product to individuals that have a sense of humor, both men and women. We do not exclude anyone, you can ask our customers. Again, a place where taking some time to do research would have been beneficial.

5.) Our marketing is for the greater good! What we notice as a disturbing trend in marketing campaigns is what we like to call ‘the pussification of men.’ More and more commercials come out to show men as sniveling, wimpy, useless, codependent pushovers. We find this insulting to real men everywhere! Our site is a helping hand to those that need guidance. I’m assuming the term used above will offend you, but again you are not our target market (the sense of humor thing).

Above all we understand everyone is different, and everyone has different tastes. That goes for jerky as well as marketing techniques. In the end we just try to be the best at what we do and hope we’ve made some people happy along the way.

Let’s just agree to disagree, you think two pieces of jerky fighting is violent and offensive, we think it is hilarious and tasty.

-Saul & The Blue Ox Jerky Co.

P.S. On a serious note, if you are single and into lumberjacks or men with beards, give us a call.

[Elisa]

@Saul: How exactly do you reconcile "We are definitely not for everyone" and "We do not exclude anyone" in the same talking point?

[Bryant]

Oh, "Saul," you should probably do a little looking around the web before you leave comments like this. These kinds of defensive, long-winded, prickly responses to criticism on the interwebs tends to get far more attention than the original piece, and usually not of the kind your company would want. Please just stop before you become the next Ocean Marketing. You really don't want that.

[Brent Yax]

@Elisa . Hi Elisa, thanks for the question! Basically we understand we are not going to be a perfect fit for everyone. Our marketing for example resonates with some, and not with others. This is similar in a number of companies, in a number of industries. But just because some people might not like us, doesn't mean that we do not like them. We do our best to provide great service to everyone and anyone who contacts us, we would never exclude anyone for any reason. Hope that helps.

[Brent Yax]

Hey Bryant, thanks for the tip. I tried to keep my response as short as possible, yet still to the point. I am not sure what part is defensive though? Prickly, well maybe.. comical, probably.. Fair enough. Any suggestions for an appropriate response.

[Mark Gunnion]

Yeah, these guys were doing fine, and would have had the perfect response if they'd stopped after the word "feedback".

As far as the p-word goes, I'd suggest the gentlemen Google "Betty White" and "Why do people say...", even though she never really said that.

And I originally checked in here to note, great band name, Gas Station Jerky.

[David Craig]

I coined the following phrase in regard to ignorant comments about the eating of quiche but it applies here, too:

Real men don't listen to a bunch of busybodies nattering away about what they do or don't eat.

[Saul Bunyan]

Lol @ Mark. I googled the Betty White reference. I think we should make her our new spokesperson!

[Nancy Friedman]

@Saul/Brent: I've given you a great deal of free publicity, not to mention a lot of space for your protests and banter, but I'm not publishing your fifth comment*, which crosses the line into self-serving commercialism.

Thanks for visiting the blog, and all the best to you and your business.

* Nor your sixth.

[Martha Bridegam]

Lots of linkbaiting keywords in that spokesman's "comments". He's trying to pull a "Banned in Boston" here.

Eh, if these folks keep on willfully insulting 60% of their potential market they'll lose business. I've walked out before from a store selling a "not for women" candy bar, explaining it was clear they didn't want me as a customer. Short of actual fuel emergency, would suggest the same approach wherever this marketing campaign appears.

[CGHill]

@Martha B: Was this a Yorkie bar, by chance?

[Peter]

Yorkie bars? It must be hard being insulted by literally everything.

[Martha Bridegam]

Can't remember what kind of candy. Just that it was the only time I've seen a product offered for sale that claimed to be too good for people like me.

If it had said "not for [x ethnic group]" the bigotry wouldn't need explaining.

[Jeremy]

Nancy, I think you discredit yourself in your own article. Clearly you are not a member of the target demographic to which Blue Ox Jerky Co. is targeting.

"But I love smoked tofu, you (and I) protest!"

"How does Blue Ox Jerky taste? I defer to Adam at Impulsive Buy. He liked a couple of the flavors:"

Technological developments have allowed companies to identify and target their prospective customers like never before. I believe we have yet to see the full potential of this. In the future, advertisements will be targeted with laser guided precision. Why should a company waste one penny of advertising dollars on a customer that will never use their product?

Perhaps you could share with us the personal motives that led to the penning of this piece? It has me wondering what your interests are in the product. You don't see men critiquing Monistat 7 commercials. Then again I don't know, I've never searched the topic. I am a man.