Crunchy Nut Cornflakes

[jeffa]

So, the commercial depicts a scene from the Middle Ages with the tag line "The trouble is they *tasteth* too good".

How can anyone really be so ignorant? Does no-one check these things?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_nHYKPMhcA

[jeffa]

That one is indeed irritating too but in a different way.

[emmie]

its difficult to understand what he is saying, something about cupcake, but the rest is gibberish.

[jeffa]

It's not difficult at all, emmie! He's saying "Anything for you, cupcake" in a stereotypical and overblown Brummie accent.

[Old_Geezer]

I do not recall the bull with udders; but if so it was probably a sex change bull. A poor cow who found themselves trapped in a bull's body. You should have more sympathy for its plight. It may have appreciated crunchy nuts.

[emmie]

overblown is right.

[jeffa]

Below is Kellogs' response. I truly despair!


Thank you for contacting Kellogg's and sharing your views about our advertising.

Although I'm personally not aware of an advertisment where the phrase tasteth is used, it is probably designed to be written in the "Olde English" style of writing. In that respect it is probably intentional and not a mistake.
Similar styles of writing have been used in the United Kingdom since the middle ages. Here is an example, presumably from an old book or dictionary:
"That to Him who Loveth God is Sweet Above all Things and in all ... ... 2. To him who tasteth Thee, what can be distasteful? And to him who tasteth"

I hope that helps to clarify the situation.

[ummmm]

Get a life, seriously.

[Zeuhl]

don't despair Jeffa

the job of replying to your email was no doubt handed to some poor Junior Marketing Assistant.

The more senior people at Kelloggs will be busy worrying about whether the ads are generating sufficient incremental sales to offset ad spend and produce a positive ROI.

While the people at the Agency will be worrying that without a brand new creative approach they're unlikely to win any awards this year with Crunchy Nut.

[Prudie]

I'd be more concerned that they don't even recognise the Ad!

[Maydup]

Whatever the language they taste of sugar coated cardboard, best to ignored.

[Marijn]

Their reply is very patronising. Don't despair though. Give it one last shot.

[SveinnF]

Jeffa, people in advertising are just morons really... so they thought they'd go with an "Olde English" theme... whatever that means! I mean really you're dealing with people to whom British history 9th century to 17th century is all the same. It's not a new campaign, it's just the same major product they're feeling the need to constantly shout out about... but you can't just show the same advert over and over again (they try though!)

So what they've done, is they're just shouting out themes in a board room to disguise the monotony of their entire advertising campaign since they first started. "Ancient Egypt! Space! Olde English!"

"What was that last one?"

"Y'know, Olde English... like King Arfah and Robin 'Ood and stuff like that."

"Brilliant! Let's go with that... I've got it! We can say 'They tasteth... too good.' Did you hear that? Tast-ETH!"

"What's tasteth then?"

"It's Olde English style innit?"

then the small voice of the one person with a shred of intelligence... "Actually you can't say 'they tasteth'"

"What?"

"It has to be 'they taste'"

"Yeah, but then it doesn't sound Olde English!"

So the answer is... they don't care... they're a bunch of morons advertising a product TO a bunch of morons who don't notice. And us who do notice don't matter, because we're in the minority.

And people watching go... "Hehe... funny... like Robin Hood or sumfin... they tasteth too good... Hehe... funny... it's all Olde English style... oh, I'm so hungry."