This is breaking news in Australia – we’ve released a new ‘creamier’ version of our much loved Vegemite (a vegetable yeast spread similar to Marmite). No joke it was on the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald website.
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Kraft Foods yesterday announced the winning name: Vegemite iSnack 2.0.
West Australian web designer Dean Robbins, 27, beat more than 48,000 entrants to come up with the winning name. Other entries suggested were Ruddymite, Wow Chow and 2ritemite.
“It was all a bit tongue-in-cheek, really. The ‘i’ phenomenon and web 2.0 have been recent revolutions and I thought the new Vegemite name could do the same.”
Simon Talbot from Kraft Foods said: “The name Vegemite iSnack2.0 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.”
When I first saw it I was like “Oh no, this has got to be a joke” but nope, it’s the real deal. A half smart marketing ploy but I wonder how long this name will last?
Update 29th September:
There may be a legal battle on for the name ‘iSnack’ but not with who you may think.
Update 30th September:
Kraft is considering axeing the name of iSnack2.0. (Thanks to Cameron for the tip.)
What are your thoughts?
Hahaha this is funny. I love it though catchy and funny. Most likely the name wont last that long.
I’m actually surprised it has taken so long for a few blog posts on this. As far as I know the first announcement was made during the AFL on Saturday not yesterday.
I was going to blog about it but didn’t bother because I thought everyone else would have it covered and then when I looked first thing this morning there was one post on it at http://www.pigsdontfly.com
Don’t like it at all, it tastes like margarine with a touch of Vegemite.
iSnack 2.0 – How very dare you?!
I thought it was a joke too. Cheesymite would have made a better name, but I guess that is trademarked to Baker’s Delight. It doesn’t work. And here’s proof:
We’re happy little iSnack 2.0ers as bright as bright can be
We all enjoy our iSnack 2.0 for breakfast, lunch, and tea
Our mother says we’re growing stronger every single week
Because we love our iSnack 2.0
We all adore our iSnack 2.0
It puts a rose in every cheeeek!
Still it can’t be worse than Dick Smith’s Spreadable Cheese. Those first and last words should not be put together on a food label!
Hmm if you look at the Great country of Australia you can see that we’re famous for our Kangaroos, Ayers Rock, and now iSnack 2.0.
What’s next? Mini packs for your lunchbox called iSnack nano’s? i agree with Cameron, I can see them re-branding in a few weeks time, in the process generating yet more publicity.
Nothing like trashing a well-known Australian brand. I’m embarrassed, and I don’t even like Vegemite!
I almost like ‘iSnack’, but combining it with the ‘2.0’ is just too much.
It’s like they took cues for their marketing strategy from New Coke!
Looks like they chose a name to generate more free publicity. Pretty smart.
$5 says that they will ‘respond’ to the public backlash with another renaming.
I am not with it at all!
The amount of items coming out with “i” infront of their name is becoming lame!
I agree with Adam… the 2.0 is just a little too much!
This is a really bad choice. As the late great Lenny Bruce said “There is nothing sadder than an aging hipster.” And any brand besides Apple adding “i” to anything seems like a desperate ploy to seem hip. Like your grandmother trying to use hip hop lingo. The 2.0 is the same as well. Some bad marketing exec sold the Vegemite exec’s on this being a hip way to get the kids. I wonder if it started as an internal joke with the designers and was unfortunately picked up by some higher up in the organization who didn’t get the joke.
mmm…so you’ve got vegemite…how about
vege-won’t
Ruddymite would have been way cooler.. and funnier.. and appeal to the regular blokes and sheilas like us who actually enjoy and relate to and have grown up with Vegemite. iSnack and web 2??!! who gives two hoots about that?? lame…
Talk about something that will not last. What does this even have to do with the product itself? I get the whole 2.0 thing, like it’s a second version, but isnack? I mean, can you use it as a mp3 player or phone? Weak…
It really smacks of trying too hard. How about a name that reflects Australia rather than the technology age? How about we stop trying to be so ‘trendy’ and ‘cool’ and start being ‘fairdinkum’ instead?
ick.
Why oh why didn’t they try and play on the fact that it’s a creamier version and call it creamymite or something equally stupid and obvious, yet endearing like that? iSnack 2.0 isn’t funny or clever. It was clearly a tongue in cheek suggestion that should never have been seriously suggested.
I hope this is all a joke and that they’re just toying with my emotions!
On a side note, whoever first had the idea to creamy up vegemite is just plain SOFT.
Muy buen blog de diseño! great blog! thanks from Argentina.
Not sure on isnack 2.0. Ruddymite would have been better but may be it was a marketing ploy. It which case it makes sense. Publicity but you can tell it was thought of by a designer.
If they want to go with cliches some much better names would be:
Can I Has a Snack
..They could include a marketing campaign with piano playing lol cats.
Looks like I was on the money:
http://www.smh.com.au/business/isnack20-fury-prompts-naming-rethink-20090930-gbwt.html
haha. Maybe i will drink my iTea and eat my iSandwich 🙂
I hate it when marketing execs try to connect with the younger generation like this. This has to be one of the worst product names ever!
I am voting for Cheesymite :D, because it is cream cheese and vegemite.
I liked some of the other competition entries…’yermummite’ (for all those that loved Yo Mamma jokes), or ‘Jackomite’ (as in Michael Jackson got whiter and so, too, is vegemite). Just had to throw them in there.
Great marketing! Everyone played right into there hands. General rule of design…If they are big…either make it real good or better still if you want instant exposure, make it really bad…think Lisa and Bart misbehaving for some little game event..you know the one.
Silly, silly name. Awful muck it is too. Vile-O-Mite might be more apt. Us Ozzies don’t like our cultural icons fiddled with… 😉
Ruddymite would have been way cooler.. and funnier.. and appeal to the regular blokes and sheilas like us who actually enjoy and relate to and have grown up with Vegemite. iSnack and web 2??!! who gives two hoots about that?? lame…