The bloggers that noticed the “tiny faces on broccoli” and shared their discovery with the world (click here to catch up with the horror), have decided to do a little investigative journalism. They contacted the company that photoshopped the little faces onto their broccoli package and got a response. It seems that the tiny faces are a tradition that is now on the chopping block…
“Dear Mrs. Carrier:
Thank you for contacting us concerning Cascadian Farm. We appreciate the opportunity to address this matter. Unfortunately, there is no one available for you to interview. However, I have included some information about the history behind the faces.
The tradition of hiding names or faces on Cascadian Farm packaging began over a dozen years ago. It was unspoken tribute by the package design department to the friends & family of Cascadian Farm. The faces won’t be included on our redesigned packaging.If you have any further questions or concerns, please let us know.
Sincerely,
Leah Giovanni
Consumer Services”
The also found some more faces on this jar of grape jam. We’re sorry to see the horrifying little faces go. It’s creepy, but it’s sort of wonderful in a way.
WTF BROCCOLI PART DEUCE. [Bread & Honey]
More From Consumerist
-
T.G.I. Friday’s Customer Attempts To Pick Up Waiter With Quite A Subtle, Classy Line
-
Consumerist Friday Flickr Finds
-
Landlord In Trouble For Somehow Dividing 3 Apartments Into 44 Units
-
Spangler Candy Company Delights Autistic Child, Comforts Struggling Family
-
No, That’s Not A Cyborg — It’s Sergey Brin Riding The NYC Subway Rails Wearing Google Glass
I like the little faces…too bad. Cascadian Farms is in my hometown so we always bought this brand growing up.
@emilymarion333: @Murph1908:
its a freaking tribute man…
@fogmaster: above comment not directed at emily…
@fogmaster: It’s not the greatest song in the world no, this is just a tribute.
@emilymarion333: I second the liking of the faces.
Nice story behind it, too!
Seems to me it’s a way to try to generate subconscious emotions subliminally, but in a way that doesn’t violate any current laws.
I’m saddened by this. What a charming and cool tradition and why discontinue? Look at all the publicity this generated.
Dear Cascadian Farms:
The benefit of discontinuing the hidden faces is?
@SkokieGuy: not disturbing people buying the product who aren’t “in” on the joke?
@SkokieGuy: I agree. Seems like a shame to discontinue it.
Kind of reminds me of those “I Spy” games and books I used play with as kid. Just slightly creepier.
@SkokieGuy: The benefit is killing a “tradition” that has been unknown to anybody outside the packaging design department and was getting a lot of attention on the internet. I’m sure management views this as a packaging error and will take appropriate action with the person who approved this and the individuals who contributed.
Food companies aren’t exactly known for their sense of humor which is a shame since this generated a rather positive response on the internet. I for one would purchase their product just to hand it to my friends and say “see if you can find the faces on this package!” like some sort of Where’s Waldo game…
Another fine tradition ruined by the blogosphere.
Way to ruin it for everyone Mrs. Carrier. This is why we can’t have nice things!
Jeez, first broccoli and now jelly is people! Way to ruin it for me! What’s going to be people next? “Meat by-product”?
How was it creepy? There is no reason to cancel it now that those that did think it was bad know the story.
I actually like the faces! Being a packaging designer myself, i like it even better after i know the story behind it. I would have went out and bought a bag just to see them for myself. Why discontinue?? WHY!!!
@caveman1428: Well, look at the item title. Consumerist says it’s “unacceptable food” if there’s faces on it…
Noooo! We have to campaign them to keep the creepy faces! I find it so intriguing.
Keep the creepy faces.
You know, this was a great marketing strategy. Especially with the frozen food. Instead of standing in the aisle trying to find the faces, you were more likely to buy it, take it home, use the veggies, and search the empty bag. This is like those placemats at diners where you have to find all the symbols in the ads, as it makes you read the ads. Look how popular Where’s Waldo is. I would totally sit at the breakfast table looking for faces in the jar as I eat my toast and buttered roll.
@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy–>: Reminds me of how painters of frescos & murals would sometimes add their friends & benefactors as background characters to the scene – or find a way to put their enemies into hell. Duomo in Florence is my favorite example: [www.burkepaterson.com]
@Git Em SteveDave loves this guy–>: Wouldnt that be “eat my toast and jam”?
That is sad. I thought it was cool and gave the products a more personal and friendly feel; it showed that the employees and family were an important part of the company.
Awww! Look what you all started.
I always liked the little heads, it was fun to see what whas obviously a silly and harmless fun for the people that worked at the company.
Aww dammnit. Bring the heads back, CS!
p.s. I like your jelly a lot.
@h3llc4t: *CF
Keep the faces! Now that we know why they’re there, it’s cool!
Why ws ths “nccptbl Fd”?
@Landru: Why the hell was this disemvoweled? >_>;
@Kia: 2nded. Pour Quoi?
Oh come on, keep the cool faces on the packaging. It is unique. Why get rid of something like that?
I do hope they keep the faces. I had never heard of these products before seeing these postings, but now I am trying to find them out there. If these images are pictures of employees, I think it is a fantastic tribute to them and their hard work. It is a harmless “easter egg” that should continue.
Can the blogosphere reverse an effect that the blogosphere created? Can we convince them to undo the redesign?
Write to them here:
[consumercontacts.generalmills.com]
Dear Cascadia Farms,
I was saddened to hear that you will be redesigning your product packaging so that it does not contain obscure faces. I’ve found these faces to be an intriguing and delightful tradition. Though they have only recently been discovered by the general public, they have quickly become a beloved, if quirky, icon of your product and are certainly drawing attention to your brand. Please reconsider this choice!
@Matthew Hughes: I did this too.
I have enjoyed these little faces for years. This is crap that the blogosphere destroyed them. Crap crap crap. Not scary, cute.
You suck, meanies!
@maztec: So do something about it! You can write to them just like the person who caused this did. See my post above yours.
The phrase “decapitated heads” makes no sense whatsoever. You can have decapitated bodies but to have decapitated heads, the heads would have to have heads which would be removed, leaving headless heads.
Phew, I thought there was some weird illness in the jars of grape jam (at initial glance of the article). I can handle the weird faces on the labeling. I had a slice of toast with this stuff just last night. Good stuff.
BTW: Anyone into organic jams should check out Crofters Jams
Boo! Ruining creativity and the unusual in lieu of bland and “safe” yet again. THANK YOU, BLOGOSPHERE!
They ruin creativity by talking about the creativity of a company that found out and decided to ruin it’s own creativity?
I guess they didn’t want to pay royalty fees…
Thats a shame that they are dropping them. We should all email them and ask they keep the hidden faces. Its wierd for sure but still cool
awww but i liked the creepy faces
Boo Consumerist!
Why are these faces a problem? Man, you people sucks often.
I remember Unwrapped talking about this. It was photos of the people’s friends and families or something. Or it could have been the workers themselves as well. Something like that, but definitely intentional. I guess people don’t like seeing hidden faces on their packages.
I kinda figured it was some sort of ‘shout out’ type of thing. Same thing happens on TV. People will sneak their friends’ names on the show. Simpsons even had an episode that highlighted this.
soylent green
Innocent little faces? I’m not so sure. General Mills owns Cascadian farms. Cascadian farms is not some small time, down home operation, but a big business entity. Those faces…more to it than meets the eye in my view.
But what if the little faces start talking to me? AND TELLING ME TO KILL???
Sounds like they don’t really know what to do with the emails requesting the heads back. I just got the standard form letter (email?) in response:
“Dear Ms. Hall:
Thank you for contacting Cascadian Farm. Your comments are important to us.
We are committed to making a difference in the lives of our consumers. As a result, we hold ourselves to the highest standards in everything we do, from advertising to food safety. Feedback such as yours is important to the nature of our business.
We appreciate your loyalty and the time you took to contact us. Please be assured that we will share your thoughts with the appropriate individuals.
Sincerely,
Amy Metzger”
Currently, the consumer feedback form isn’t working. (I can fill out the page, but the “send comments” link goes to an error message.) Is there an email address that we could send our encouragement to keep the faces to?
i never knew of this brand until the post about the little faces. Since then i was at my local grocery store looking to buy some of their product to see if i could spot some of it myself.. didn’t see anything, but if i did, i would have certainly bought it.
If you want to contact Cascadian Farms regarding your disappointment, here is the link. (Their granola bars are really good!)
[consumercontacts.generalmills.com]
I like the faces!
Although I read on the Internet that if you play Cascadian Farms broccoli backwards on your turntable, you can hear Satan telling you to “Eat Quarter-Pounders and Chocolate Shakes until you Puke.” Creepy!
I think we should mount a write in campaign to get them to keep the faces. Why can’t companies be fun and weird?
I’d print a retraction on all these stupid blog posts about the faces and write an apology to the companies. This is a good example of a company that consumerist would right about, a company destroying a tradition. Some one should write a letter to consumerist about this travesty perpetrated by consumerist. Wholly in appropriate.
The heads are mentally destroying someone how?