Package disclaimer: “Not recommended for pregnant women, children, or persons sensitive to caffeine.” (This includes YOU, weird pregnant guy expecting your second kid in June!)
Huh? This is just wrong: A candy bar aimed straight at the shaved heads of wacky, Jack-Ass-style twenty-somethings. In this fast-paced and hectic age, do we really need more buzz? I guess someone thinks so.
The Nestle advertising blitz and buzz (can you sense the trend here?) features online videos of highly energized male and female actors playing the part of young adults shaving one another’s heads and spray painting stencils of the Butterfinger Buzz logo onto their freshly revealed scalps. The ads seem to shout: THESE COOL YOUNG PEOPLE ARE CRAZY AND YOU NEED TO HANG OUT WITH THEM RIGHT NOW!! A paintball gun is even used – that was crazy sick YO! No, just stupid. All this for a candy bar? And not a very good one? Come on.
At the very least, the campaign seems forced. Certain candy icons should never be messed with.
I first noticed the awkwardness of the Butterfinger Buzz package with its two separate, single-serving bars jostling around in a super-kingsize sleeve that made the bar appear broken. The candy within looked like the classic Butterfinger with its bland and thin mockolate coating (the peanut buttery center is the star here, always has been), and the first bite revealed the usual crumbly-crunchy peanut butter candy innards.
On closer inspection, I found the Buzz’s interior to be distinctly darker than the classic Butterfinger, more of a burnt orange in color that reminded me of a blood orange. With an even closer view it looked similar to a slice of prosciutto.
I had fun comparing the candy bar’s sedimentary center to other foods, but I tried to focus on the taste because that’s what it’s really all about – appearances are superficial.
The texture was more dense than the classic non-caffeinated version and was like chewing a semi-moist clump of red Georgia clay, or how I imagine that might feel. Halfway through the first bar I noticed a disturbing bitterness. Don’t get me wrong, I like bitter just as much as sweet – I’m a big black-coffee drinker – but this was unpleasant. I finished the first bar with some difficulty, and didn’t even bother with the second.
The Butterfinger Buzz claims to have as much caffeine as “the leading energy drink” (80mg for both bars), but since I barely finished one serving (one bar) I didn’t notice much of an increase in my energy level. However, a caffeine-sensitive colleague of mine scarfed an entire Buzz and actually felt quite a rush that afternoon. It was annoyingly entertaining.
I advise you to scamper out and buy a Butterfinger Buzz so you can judge for yourself. But hurry, these limited edition bars are only available through April 2009 or while supplies last.
As the ads say, “Get your BUZZ on!” (But not if you’re a child, sensitive to caffeine, or a pregnant human.)
Hahah! I love the line “like chewing a semi-moist clump of red Georgia clay” – I’m going to echo that’s EXACTLY what it’s like. Definitely a pass for me.
February 17th, 2009 at 1:22 pmI saw these in stores and I thought they were broken too at first :)
February 17th, 2009 at 6:24 pmI think Butterfinger started doing the two-piece king-size (for regular as well as Buzz) shortly after they introduced the superlong bar. They were probably getting tons of returned, unsold merchandise and just said, “Fuggit, it’s gonna break anyway, might as well make it two pieces” (I know I dug around in the bin forever, only willing to purchase an entire, pristine bar).
February 18th, 2009 at 12:15 am“This includes YOU, weird pregnant guy expecting your second kid in June!”
haha… at first I thought you were just being crazy Jim, but then I remembered seeing this story on the news. Way to tie in current events with candy.
February 18th, 2009 at 12:37 am