Vegemite iSnack2.0… Crikey!

by Mars Riley

Can a really bad name for a product actually be a great name for publicity?

Ask the Aussies.

Last July, Kraft Foods Australia launched an online contest to have Australians and New Zealanders name a new version of the popular Aussie bread-spread called Vegemite. The product, a mix of traditional Vegemite (a salty, malty and slightly bitter yeast extract) and cream cheese was well received by customers and has sold very well (3 million jars in three months) even though it was only labeled Vegemite “Name Me.” The naming contest received international attention and had over 48,000 entrants with the winner being announced during 2009 AFL Grand Final (Australian Rules Football). Without a doubt, a very high profile launch for a new product.

So what was the winning name?

Vegemite iSnack 2.0!

“Hunh?!” was the collective response from Aussies everywhere.

Kraft Foods spokesman, David Talbot, explained, “The name Vegemite iSnack 2.0 was chosen based on its personal call to action, relevance to snacking and clear identification of a new and different Vegemite to the original. We believe these three components completely encapsulate the new brand.”

Well, the Aussies disagreed. The backlash has been overwhelming: thousands of negative Tweets, angry Facebook groups, a “Names That Are Better Than iSnack2.0” website, tons of editorials and newspaper articles condemning the name. The complaints are the name is “silly,” “stupid,” “embarrassing,” “too American,” and “too computerish.” One blogger pointed out that it was impossible to have an iSnack2.0 if you have never had an iSnack1.0. Some even say Kraft is using this really bad product name as an attention-grabbing stunt.

“It’s definitely not a stunt, you have my word on that,” Mr. Talbot has said after the uproar, adding that they had anticipated some complaints, “but we got a stronger public reaction than we thought we’d get.”

I, for one, believe him. The name Vegemite itself was created by using a customer naming contest back in 1923. It was literally pulled out of a hat by the founder’s daughter. After a few years of the product not selling well, they decided the name might be the problem. Since Vegemite is a copy of a popular food item from Britain called Marmite, which wasn’t available in Australia in the 20s, they decided to change the name to something that accentuated the similarities. The new name was Parwill. This was an attempt to make a pun on the words, “Ma might but Pa will.” Apparently no one got it back then either. It didn’t improve sales and after a few years they went back to the original name, Vegemite.

Regardless of whether it is a stunt or not, Kraft Foods may find there has been very little downside to having “the worst named product ever.” They are getting tons of publicity for a product that normally wouldn’t get it and they will get even more if they change the name to something else.

The only negative may be for the winner of the naming contest, Australian web designer Dean Robbins. He said, “It’s been difficult to contain my excitement; I actually leapt out of my chair when I heard the news. To think that I could go down in Australia’s history is overwhelming.”

Well, at least someone likes it. Maybe the prize money from Kraft will lessen the blow of having his name associated with all of this.

What?! There was no prize money?!! Crikey.