Humor

Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

April Fools: These Celebs Didn’t Really Endorse Surreal Cereal

A small, scrappy UK-based cereal company is making waves across the pond with a brash advertising campaign suggesting that big name celebrities love their sugar-free cereal.

Surreal Dwayne
Surreal Cereal 2

*MOUSE PRINT:

The company explained their little advertising scheme on their Facebook page:

Surreal explanation

At least in the United States, using a celebrity’s name or likeness to promote a product they don’t actually use and without compensation or permission can result in costly legal action.

Will the company be saved by the giant asterisk explaining their ploy? Stay tuned.

Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

Thanks for Nothing – Fall 2022

We continue our series of little annoyances about ads, offers, and practices that are often real head-scratchers, might make you grind your teeth, or even chuckle.

Example #1 — Air Conditioners – $50

The Craiglist ad offered a giveaway price for air conditioners — only $50.

air conditioners

In the description, a small detail is disclosed along with a “generous” offer.

*MOUSE PRINT:

air conditioner cardboard

Thanks for nothing, Craigslister.

Example #2 — Kitchen Appreciation Fee

It is not just hotels that are adding junk fees to your bill. Now some restaurants are doing it too and they call it a “kitchen appreciation fee.” This tip goes to employees who don’t generally get tipped, and is automatically added to your bill. While there is a fine print disclosure on the menu in many places about the fee, most diners won’t notice it there, and may not even notice it on their bill until after they leave the restaurant. Of course, you can tell the server to take the charge off your bill, but that puts diners in an awkward position.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Kitchen appreciation fee

So, thanks for nothing to all the restaurants that tack these fees onto your restaurant tab without asking.

Example #3 — Not So Easy Returns

An online women’s clothing site advertises on Facebook and its website that its garments are all made in and shipped from the USA. It certainly is unusual to see clothing made here particularly at the low prices this shop charges.

Ryabe - made in USA

When a friend contacted them about how to make a return, she was offered a partial refund but told it probably wasn’t worth doing for a full refund because of the high cost of return shipping that she would have to pay. Why was shipping so expensive?

*MOUSE PRINT:

Ryabe response

There is no disclosure on their website that returns must be sent to Dubai. Thanks for nothing, Ryabe.

Example #4 — $5 a Month Cell Plan

TwigbyMrConsumer got very excited when he saw this banner ad for a $5 a month cell plan with unlimited calls and texts and one gig of data. He’s paying that for only half a gig of data now.

Upon checking their website for the offer, the truth came out:

*MOUSE PRINT:

Twigby 3 months only

Hey, Twigby, at least you could have disclosed that the $5 plan was only an introductory offer in your ad, but you omitted that fact. Thanks for nothing, Twigby.

Example #5 — Macy’s Sale Exclusions

Macy’s is already advertising discounts good through Black Friday, sending 25% off shopping passes to customers. These cards, approximately 3.5 inches wide and two inches high, have a ton of exclusions from the sale listed on the back of the card. The trouble, according to the ConsumerMan, is that the excluded brands are in such small type as to be unreadable. Thanks for nothing, Macy’s.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Macy's exclusions

Updated every Monday!   Subscribe to free weekly newsletter.

More Groceries Hit By “Skimpflation” — Part 1

When manufacturers face higher costs that they no longer want to absorb, they are faced with three choices: raise the price, shrink the product, or reformulate it by using cheaper ingredients or less of the expensive ingredient.

We saw this last option recently with Folgers ground coffee when its maker fluffed up the grounds and claimed to get the same number of cups in their large canister despite it holding almost half a pound less coffee.

Now, over the next two weeks we’ll show you more examples of products that have been reformulated, or put another way, have been subject to “skimpflation” — shrinkflation’s evil cousin.

Conagra’s Attempt at Skimpflation Backfires

Smart Balance Spread

Smart Balance has long been a high-priced but superior tasting spread in part because of its relatively high fat content – 64-percent. Recently they inconspicuously changed that and now it is only 39-percent oil — an almost 40-percent reduction.

*MOUSE PRINT:

Smart Balance Spread

Clearly this was a cost-cutting move by Conagra Brands because water is now the primary ingredient. Even if they didn’t read the label, purchasers are tasting the difference and complaining bitterly about the new water-logged product. About 90% of the 800+ reviews on the Smart Balance website give the product one star.

“Horrible horrible horrible!!!! You ruined a perfectly great product that we have used for years and years!!!! And without any notice. Now we’re out of $8…”

“If I wanted to spread water on my toast I would of purchased a cheap margarine…”

“You could have at least printed on the packaging that it was a new formula.”

“Your reformulation of your Smart Balance spreads is a great example of dishonesty in the marketplace. You are adding water to these mixes to lower the manufacturing cost…”

“I’d throw it out if it wasn’t so expensive, but in the meantime maybe I can spread it on our dog’s biscuits….although not sure he would even eat it.”

Despite multiple requests, Conagra did not answer our questions about the product change. However, customer service representatives for the company have begun telling this to their customers:

Smart Balance comments

Wow, they are actually listening to customers and are going to bring back the original recipe spread. But is it possible that this multi-billion dollar company did not do a product test with consumers before launching the watered-down version and just waited to see if people would notice and complain?

So while the watery reformulated version is still on store shelves, we decided to help Conagra better communicate the changes in the product by creating a revised label for it that is just a tiny bit more straightforward.

Dumb Balance

Next week, we’ll have two more examples of skimpflation. If you spot a product that has been reformulated with cheaper ingredients, please send clear pictures of the old and new versions along with shots of the ingredients statements to Edgar (at symbol) MousePrint.org . Thanks.