Food and Pop (Culture That Is)

When I told my friends that we were learning about food in Pop Culture, they were confused. They said that there was no relation between the two. I looked at them like they were crazy. How is food NOT related to popular culture? We spoke in class about the use of social media to promote restaurants and how movies like Food, Inc. are exposing the horrors of the food industry, but what we didn't talk about was the fun side of food in pop culture. I'm talking about the popularity of food mascots and jingles.

Toucan Sam, The Jolly Green Giant, the movie theater concessions who march around, beckoning "Let's All Go to the Lobby." These are just a few examples of mascots who have become synonymous with not only food, but with pop culture. For instance, comedian Dane Cook has a hilarious bit about what he'd do if the Kool-aid Man ever burst into his house like he does in the commercials.

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

Family Guy has frequently referenced Kool-aid Man, as well as several other mascots, such as Cap'n Crunch and Trix the Rabbit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pTYv1O_pFA&feature=related

The M&M characters, Plain and Peanut, have their faces plastered on everything from gumball machines to dinnerware. In fact, my niece went as the green M&M for Halloween a few years ago.

It's not just a food's mascot that has planted itself in our popular culture; the food's jingle has as well. Who hasn't sung the Frosted Flakes jingle, ending with his/her best Tony the Tiger impression ("There grrrrreat!")? Who hasn't repeatedly chanted the different Lucky Charms marshmallow shapes until he/she finally gets it right? No one? Just me?

Anyways, mascots and jingles are just scratching the surface on how food affects pop culture. Advertisers know exactly what they are doing. By engraining an animation or a song into our heads, they know that there is a good chance we will pick up a box of whatever they are selling. If they are lucky, the product's mascot or jingle will transcend popular culture and become part of history, like say the owl who swears it only takes three licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. But to say that food and pop culture are in no way related is completely insane.