Sunday, September 13, 2009

Go home, Klondike, you're embarrassing yourself.

Remember Klondike's iconic jingle? "What would you doooo for a Klondike bar?"



The commercials were silly, but I get the message: Klondike bars are delicious. There's no need to sell this product any harder- chocolate and vanilla ice cream? That's a combination that never fails, unlike the combination of Klondike Bars and desperation. This includes a round-the-clock broadcast of Michael Ian Black harassing potential Klondike Bar customers who are walking, talking examples of "don't be this guy."

Do you want this guy to be your "bro"?



Klondike's grand plan to rebrand itself also includes a repulsive old-school type video game entitled "The Adventures of Khaki Pants Pete" on their "ironic" website. Jezebel rescues you from having to play the actual game by showing you screencaps here. As the embodiment of a Klondike Bar aficionado, Pete avoids his wife, shirks childcare responsibilities, hits on the babysitter, heads to a porn shop, dreams of his glory days as the frattiest gadabout in town, and then hits a bachelor party that involves interactive pudding wrestling. Oh, I'm sorry, "pudding freakin' wrestling."

Klondike, you are not beer. You're not an extreme sports drink. You're not hot wings. You're not beef jerky, jello shooters, corn chips, or Axe Body Spray. What you are is a nostalgic, cold, delicious treat for all kinds of people- men and women, children and grandparents. Why in the hell are you trying so hard to cut yourself off from a universal demographic?

3 comments:

Windier E. Megatons said...

It's like a battle of which brand can embarrass itself more by trying to look hip, Miracle Whip or Klondike. Dedicating an entire "man cave" channel makes no sense.

Here's what makes even less sense: does that guy actually get a Klondike bar at any point in that game? Seems like the only actual reference to one is at the end, where his wife has eaten one. (Granted, I'm only judging this based on the Jezebel screencaps since I'll be damned if I'm going to play that game.) What a perfect way to sell Klondike bars: by never mentioning Klondike bars!

Unknown said...

boneheads! klondike bars sell themselves

Ezra said...

Call me Fratty McDousch, but I thought this ad, while a little odd, was both funny and memorable. Sure it didn't go after an entirely universal demographic, but what's to say it needs to? If it sells itself, then children and the elderly (whom, I presume, would be least inclined to watch or enjoy this ad) will buy them anyway. I think you're seeing what you want to see on this one; sorry :-(