At first glance, this appears to be animal cruelty at its worst. These ads, with their deceptively bright and cheerful colours feature snuggly bunnies and teddy bears ready to be eaten.
The "A friend you can eat," campaign for Swedish Fish was created by ad agency, JWT, New York.
There's a Kitty Sandwich, a Grilled Teddy bear in a panini maker, a Bunny Waffle, a Chick in a Cone with sprinkles on top and a Doll Burger topped with lettuce and tomato.
But on the other side of these images, all of which say, "Nej" underneath, is a picture of a Swedish Fish, the "Friend you can eat!" with the word, "Ja" beneath it.
Shockvertising Food
Swedish Fish: A Friend You Can Eat
Trend Themes
1. Shockvertising Food - Using dark or controversial imagery in food advertising to grab consumer attention and create brand awareness.
2. Anthropomorphic Food - Creating a friendly persona for food products to make them more relatable to consumers and increase their appeal.
3. Humor in Advertising - Using humor to create a more positive association with food products and create more memorable advertising campaigns.
Industry Implications
1. Food and Beverage - Opportunity to create innovative, attention-grabbing advertising campaigns and stand out in a crowded market.
2. Advertising - Opportunity to experiment with unconventional advertising methods and create provocative campaigns that drive consumer engagement.
3. Design - Opportunity to push boundaries in design and explore uncharted territory in food packaging and labeling.