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Chocolate Billboard Disappears Fast

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 23:14:37 -0700

Yesterday, Thorntons (a British chocolate company) unveiled an 860 pound (390kg) pure chocolate billboard in London. Actually, make that the the world's first chocolate billboard. The billboard was 14.5 ft by 9.5 ft and was made from 10 chocolate bunnies, 72 giant chocolate eggs and 128 chocolate panels. During assembly, one of the panels fell off and five bunnies were broken (luckily there were spares).

Once unveiled, Thorntons invited shoppers to jump in and grab a bite. However you had to act fast, the billboard didn't last long. Three hours, that's all it took for folks to devour the billboard that took three months, 10 people and 300 hours to assemble.

"There was something for everyone from giant bunnies to hazelnut eggs," said chocolatier Barry Colenso.

As the billboard was unveiled, 50 girls from the Brownies turned up on a chocolate finding mission.

"Their jaws dropped as they asked, 'Is it real chocolate?'" Mr Colenso [ said.

I suppose since it was gone almost immediately I would have eaten some, but could you imagine if it just sat there for days and days?

To check out images of the billboard during assembly and destruction, read more

View 7 Photos ›

Source: BBC News
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Campbell's Emphasizes Oodles of Noodles With New Campaign

YumSugar — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:30:02 -0700

To commemorate the 75th anniversary of its celebrated chicken noodle soup, food company Campbell's has really used its noodle. Yesterday, the 140-year-old company launched a bold campaign called "Slurp" to get consumers to think about its staid soup in a new way.

To promote the fact that there are 32 feet of egg noodles in every can of its chicken noodle soup, the corporation partnered with ad agency BBDO New York and Traction Creative. They've erected a giant billboard with a 54-foot noodle coming out of it, which appears to be slurped by a mannequin standing in a window three stories above.The billboard is near Manhattan's Times Square and will be displayed on the corner of 7th Avenue and 53rd Street for the next four weeks, where it will attract plenty of attention in a high-traffic area.

The campaign is cute - I only wish I could see the billboard in person! - and I learned something new (I would never have guessed there are 32 feet of noodles in every Campbell's can). What do you think of the marketing effort? Does it make you want to buy Campbell's chicken noodle soup?

Source: Flickr User Vagamundos

KFC Hopes to Sweeten the Pothole

YumSugar — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 11:32:12 -0700

Could potholes be the new billboards? Kentucky Fried Chicken is hoping so with a new marketing and urban renewal program. Last week, as part of the chicken chain's "Fresh Tastes Best" campaign, KFC filled potholes as a private sponsor in Louisville, KY - spray-painting each repair with a stenciled memo: "Re-Freshed by KFC."

The fast food company, which estimates that there are more than 350 million potholes nationwide, wants four more cities to be a part of the campaign and has sent letters to various mayors, offering to patch potholes gratis.

KFC would not comment on how much it will cost the company to fill potholes in five cities. From Starbucks giving free coffee for community service to Kellogg's donating its Michael Phelps cereal boxes to a food bank, companies seem to be focused on marketing their brands next to a good cause.

I'm on the fence about this new campaign. Sure, it couldn't come at a better time for budget-strapped cities that desperately need repair. But on the other hand, I see it as yet another visual space being exploited for marketing purposes. Plus, there are other logistical matters that need to be accounted for - such as what materials are being used, how long KFC would be accountable for the potholes they've fixed, and, of course, the issue of those hideous spray-painted logos. What do you think of the campaign? Are potholes a great cause for KFC to get behind, or is it corporate sponsorship at its worst?

Source

Yummy Links: From Top Chef 5 to Tastespotting Alternatives

partysugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 09:00:12 -0700

Rumor has it the next season of Top Chef will be filmed in New York City. - Snack
Does a menu's font affect your culinary decisions?- Time
A robot theme is perfect for a child's summer birthday party. - Hostess with the Mostess
Take vegetarian chili to a whole new level by grilling the vegetables. - The Recipe Girl
McDonald's celebrates freshness with a lettuce billboard. - Slashfood
Ten tips for making painless pizzas. - Smitten Kitchen
An update on the tomato salmonella outbreak. - FitSugar
Miss Tastespotting? Check out these websites to get your food porn fix. - The Kitchn

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What's Yummy This Week

YumSugar — Sat, 07 Apr 2007 13:14:21 -0700

This week we switched over from Passover planning (be sure to check out the pics) and headed into Easter mode. We even had ideas for both an Easter brunch or dinner. Oh and let us know what your favorite Easter candy is.
Food & Wine magazine announced their Best New Chefs of 2007 and held a big party to celebrate. The past year's best new chefs and several members of the Top Chef brigade ended up catering the soiree.
Burger King surprised everyone and announced a new welfare policy.
I decided to treat the office with these cute springtime lemonade cupcakes.
Eggs eggs eggs. We had tips on how to boil them, poach them and even how to transport them.

Got a keen eye for design? Pepsi is challenging customers to design a new can for them. The winner could get $10k.
Friends called and they're on their way? Don't fret, we've got some simple plans for an impromptu dinner party.

One of my favorite celebrities on the planet, Alton Brown, wins a Peabody Award.
There was also chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Don't miss the review of Chuao ChocoPods, the world's first chocolate billboard, or the giant creme egg.
And finally, we gave away a YumSugar Tee, you can win one next (submit something to the Savory Sights Group, winners will be chosen at random). Don't feel like playing along? Check out our brand new YumSugar Store where you can buy shirts, aprons, tote bags, coffee mugs and more!