Defictionalized Products - what I don't like about them

I love Defictionalized Products (Reverse Product Placement)! And even thought this blog is all about "Doing Stuff About Things We Like" today's post is about something I don't like. Even though I love Defictionalized Products, I do not like the choices made by the people who designed the packaging.

I like Defictionalized Products because they help me pretend, if only for a moment, that I am in the universe of a show, book, etc. that I love. When the product has something on it (say one of the characters or the show's logo) that would not be on it in the fictional universe, it breaks the illusion. It makes it less of a prop and more of a commercial for the show, book, etc. only. I know that they are commercials, but when they hide they take the time to hide that fact at least a little bit, I appreciate it and can suspend disbelief for my moment of "I am in the Simpson universe. It exists and I am part of it, eating my KrustyO's".

Let's go through most of my Defictionalized Product collection and I'll tell you what is wrong with each object, even thouogh I love each one.

When I buy a Defictionalized product. Such as Tru Blood

I want it to look like a bottle of Tru Blood, but I'd prefer that it did not have the HBO logo on it or a link to the show's website. (Here's a link to my review of Tru Blood!)

Or if I buy spinach like Popeye eats

I would like the can to look like a can of spinach from a Popeye cartoon. I do not want it to have a picture of Popeye on it. (Popeye Spinach Review!)

While Stay Puft marshmallows are very tastey and have a great front the back...

Should not have the Ghostbusters logo on it. It should not have the word "Ghostbusters" on it anywhere. (Stay Puft review!)


All of the Harry Potter merch is like this.

The bag of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans is pretty cool, but the tag says Harry Potter on it. In the wizarding world it would not say "Harry Potter" on it. (No Harry Potter candy review, yet...)

Just like Duff Beer

Would not say "The Simpsons" or

"20th Century Fox". (Review of Duff Beer Energy Drink!)

And Buzz Cola would not say "The Simpsons Movie". (or have Matt Groening's signature on it).

(Link to Buzz Cola Review!)

And Romulan Ale wouldn't say "Star Trek".

(Romulan Ale Review!)

Cheesy Poofs might have Cartman on the bag, he did do a commercial after all, but it would not say "South Park".

(Cheesy Poof review!)

And these fictional drink cans from various cartoons...

They are pretty cool, but Peter Griffin and Barney Gumble. They should be drinking the drinks and not on the can. Whereas Slurms McKenzie would be on the can but Philip J. Fry

Would not be... on the can. (No Slurm review. I want to review the Slurm energy drink, but can not find any.)

And finally we come to the Talkboy!

I have no complaints about the Talkboy. It is my favorite Defictionalized product. It is wonderful and so close to perfect.

The box had Kevin McCallister and the words "Home Alone" on it, if I remember correctly, but this doesn't bother me because you never see the Talkboy Box in Home Alone 2. The Talkboy itself only has the words "Twentieth Centry Fox Films" on it in fine print. Which is better than it could be.

The Talkboy looks almost exactly like the movie version. I plan on reviewing it soon. I was going to review it during the Christmas season, but... it didn't happen.

The Christmas Season is over. At least, everybody considers Christmas Day the last day of the Christmas Season, even though it is supposed to be the first day. But...

So Christmas is over, but I love the Talkboy so some time in the next few weeks I will review it more thoroughly.