Wednesday, November 18, 2009

this is like SO generic

Sorry—I couldn’t resist.  As I was writing this post, I was like totally thinking about how I used to talk, like back in the 80’s, ya know?  The only time I use the word “generic” now is to refer to the less-expensive store brands of grocery items, but back in junior high, anything that was lame was “like SO generic"!  Anyone else remember that?

I am a big fan of generics.  Why would I pay $4.59 for a container of Quaker Old Fashioned Oats when I can buy the same size generic container for less than $2.00?  Since the majority of our grocery cart is filled with fresh fruits and vegetables, one of the few categories where I am actually buying something that has a generic option is cereal.  Patrick and I often make fun of the names that have been chosen for the knock-off cereals.  Here are some I’ve seen over the years:

  • Grape Nuts= Nutty Nuggets
  • Cookie Crisp= Koo-kies
  • Apple Jacks= Apple Dapples
  • Lucky Charms= Magic Twinkles
  • Special K Red Berries= Strawberry Awake!

Yesterday I think I found my favorite one of all times-- and at my neighborhood grocery store of all places!  I’ve been in this store pretty much once a week for the last three years, so I’m not sure how I never noticed it before.  Thankfully I had my phone with me to snap a picture!

crisp6

Maybe this isn’t as funny to everyone else as it is to me, but I laughed out loud in the store when I saw it!  I love that the name has two meanings—Crisp 6, as in the shape of the cereal with six sides, and Crisp 6, which if you say it quickly sounds exactly like Crispix without infringing on any copyrights!

6 comments:

Erin said...

crisp 6. that's a good one!

i am okay with the generic brand for some things but sometimes there really is a difference in the quality!

Anonymous said...

I almost always buy the no name brand too. The one I don't do anymore is Cheerios - there is a huge difference between generic and real. We even did a blind taste test here at our house once when we were talking about this same thing. I just really only want real Cheerios now.

rozalyn said...

haha! that's awesome! I'll have to request some crisp 6 at our kroger...

Dana said...

Very smart company marketing! I'll have to check out my local grocery store for some good ones.

molly kay said...

I guess I'm a snob because I absolutely HATE generic cereal! I shop at supertarget where the name brands are really cheap to begin with. I do by generic (well the new Target up&up brand)handsoap, sunscreen, dishwasher liquid, cleaner, stuff like that. But, cereal, never! That would be like so generic! Or as I sometimes shortened it to, "gen-air"!Yes, I usd to say that.

Leslie said...

That is hilarious. The closest knock-off name I have seen.