Selling Air

When KS went to Mount Fuji, he said they sold the mountain air in a can. I laughed and thought, "What a scam!"

Then just this week, I kind of encountered two instances whereby this selling of air is not uncommon after all.

Case #1

We had McDonald's for breakfast last Sunday and I ordered the Big Breakfast Meal while KS ordered the Sausage McMuffin with Egg Meal.

When I was about to consume my food, I realised the only difference between our meals was:

1. My egg was scrambled while his was fried.

2. My ingredients were separated on a polystyrene plate, waiting for me to assemble my burger.

3. My meal cost me a couple of bucks more.

So there you have it, add air into the egg and then charge me more. 

Okay, okay. Mum argued that the scrambled egg needed more work, more milk and butter etc. But for a couple more bucks? Hmm...

Anyway, I'll move on to Case #2.

My colleague just came back from overseas and brought us two bars of the latest offerings from Cadbury. It's called Bubbly.

Inside, it's the usual little rectangles of chocolate. When you bite into it, the centre is filled with, yup, you guessed it, bubbles. Air bubbles.

This is what I reckoned went on at the Cadbury's HQ:

"Everyone, cost is rising. We need to come up inventive ways of creating new offerings"

And some smart Alec who probably sold ice to Eskimos before says, "I know! Let's fill the chocolate bars with air and continue to charge customers the same price as a solid bar!"

Others would be skeptical and probably sneer, "And who would buy that?"

Well, not only is it being sold, my colleague insists the chocolate gives her a different sensation. Now THAT'S successful marketing.