# Political Satire Snacks The Hatochan Obaman Makes Eating Hot Cakes a Political Statement By Marissa Liu | Published 2010-05-19 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hatochan-obaman References: [obamafoodorama.blogspot](http://obamafoodorama.blogspot.com/2010/05/obama-okinawa-protest-cakes.html) & [omiyage-daito](http://www.omiyage-daito.com/index4.html) Political rows rarely get much attention in the food world but The Hatochan Obaman, a [hot cake snack](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jaffa-cakes-yuzu-lemon) in Japan, has come out with packaging that directly references a dispute between the US and Japan. The package features characterizations of Japanese PM Yukio Hatoyama and US President Barack Obama giving each other the side-eye. The Hatochan Obaman packaging refers to the longstanding dispute over the relocation of a US-controlled Marine base on the [Japanese island of Okinawa](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/autumn-splendor). ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.1/10 - Popularity: 2% | Activity: 52% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 70% men, 30% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Food](https://www.trendhunter.com/food) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Political Satire Packaging:** Opportunity for brands to use political satire in packaging design to create buzz and engage consumers. - **Food as Political Statement:** Growing trend of using food products as a medium to express political beliefs and make social statements. - **Localized Political References:** Increasing use of localized political references in product packaging as a way to connect with consumers on a cultural and social level. ### Who This Affects Most - **Food Packaging:** Innovative packaging solutions that incorporate political satire and localized references to stand out in the food industry. - **Snack Foods:** Snack food brands using political themes and packaging to differentiate themselves and capture consumer attention. - **Food Products with Social Commentary:** Opportunity for food companies to create products that double as a form of social commentary, appealing to socially conscious consumers. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Canine-Inspired QSR Packaging](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sankaku-choco-pie-range.md) - [Limited-Edition Regional-Specific Snack Boxes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/snackventure-box.md) - [Seafood-Flavored Snack Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fritolays-shaketoba-corn-chips.md) - [Anime Anniversary Snack Cakes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pokmon-milk-harbour-mont-blanc.md) - [Burger-Flavored Potato Snacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/mos-burger-potato-torottama-cheese-teriyaki-burger-flavor.md) - [Edible Souvenir Matcha Cakes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-matcha-cake.md) - [Curated Halloween-Inspired Japanese Snacks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/japanese-snacks-for-halloween.md) - [Cheesy Potato Snack Pies](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cheese-bacon-potato-pie.md) - [Asian Cuisine-Inspired Snack Chips](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/asian-style-chips.md)