Movies

I Ate ‘Squid Game’ Beef Jerky

BBG News

Upon its Netflix premiere in September 2021, “Squid Game” swiftly gained global popularity. People from every corner of the globe were eager for a series that offered more than just graphic violence and tense drama; it also delivered thought-provoking commentary about the ruthless aspects of contemporary existence.

So does it stand to reason that they’re also hungry … for beef jerky?

It seems that Jack Link’s, known for their large selection of jerky, are optimistic about it. They have come up with a unique collaboration product linked to the latest season 2 release of Squid Game on Netflix: A limited edition “Red Light: Green Light” jerky. As stated on their official website, this jerky is inspired by the pulse-quickening intensity of Squid Game.

frankly speaking, a beef jerky that gives your heart a rapid beat seems somewhat risky. After all, consuming excessive amounts of beef jerky could lead to an increase in heart rate over time, considering the high sodium content in a typical bag. However, I can’t dismiss the idea of trying out the tie-in Squid Game beef jerky simply because there’s a minor possibility it may cause my heart to burst. My passion lies in indulging in peculiar foods inspired by movies and TV shows. Upon seeing the Squid Game jerky at my local store, I didn’t hesitate to give it a try.

In this video, I’ll be tasting the dried beef snack and sharing my thoughts on whether it truly embodies the intense, ruthless atmosphere of the popular Netflix series, “Squid Game.” So, let’s dive in and see how it compares!

Following the conclusion of the video, I peeked at the ingredient list on the backside of the bag. Beneath the conventional jerky components such as beef, water, and sugar, it stated that it “contains 2% or less” of several items, including red miso, fermented rice extract, and something referred to as “cultured celery extract.” The “2% or less” part could account for the absence of any prominent Korean seasoning. Apart from a slightly elevated spice level compared to usual, I wouldn’t have noticed a difference between Squid Game jerky and a typical variety in a blind taste test.

Finishing the rest of the Squid Game jerky bag a few hours later doesn’t imply it was excellent; rather, it fell short in delivering the advertised ssamjang flavor, which was indeed a letdown. However, just like the popular series Squid Game highlights how capitalism can gradually erode people’s aspirations and happiness, Jack Link’s managed to convey a message, albeit unintentionally. So, well done, Jack Link’s!

A Brief History of Movie Tie-In Food

The Early Days of Tie-In Food

In the 1970s, the connection between movies and the food industry truly gained momentum, but there were some instances of cross-promotion that occurred earlier in time. As mentioned by Discontinued Foods, food brands started to seize pop culture trends, and vice versa, as far back as the era of radio serials.

By the 1960s, breakfast cereals began showcasing popular Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters such as Yogi Bear on their packaging, paving the way for our contemporary world of Fruity and Cocoa Pebbles. Cartoon and comic heroes were a reliable method to draw kids towards products, even ones they might otherwise dislike. By the 1960s, Allens introduced Popeye Spinach, named after the famous sailor man from comic strips and theatrical shorts, reflecting his own fondness for the nutritious leafy vegetable. The product remains available on supermarket shelves to this day.

“Presented For Your Enjoyment By Howard Johnson’s”

Sometimes, movies and food can be an odd combination, and this was particularly noticeable in the early days of promotional tie-ins, before marketers had refined their successful strategies (such as transforming children’s films into merchandise). For instance, in 1968, Howard Johnson’s restaurants helped publicize Stanley Kubrick’s innovative and psychedelic science-fiction film “2001: A Space Odyssey” by offering… a kids’ menu that also served as a comic book? It’s true!

Willy Wonka and the Tie-In Candy Bars

The iconic movie “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” wasn’t just marketed with merchandise, but rather, it was a cinematic production that was essentially born out of early promotional tie-ins. The Quaker Oats company funded this film in the 70s to introduce a new candy bar, and they convinced Mel Stuart and David L. Wolper to adapt Roald Dahl’s “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” for the screen, with the aim of launching a line of Wonka-branded chocolates.

True to their plan, Quaker renamed the film to “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” to boost sales of their real-world Wonka bars. However, there were issues with the formula of these original Wonka candies, leading to a recall. Nevertheless, the Wonka candy line eventually thrived, offering products like Peanut Butter Oompas (essentially known as Reese’s Pieces under another name).

Quaker also leveraged their other products for promotion; buying Quaker cereal boxes and sending them in would earn you a “Wonka Candy Factory” toy to make your own Wonka bars at home. (I trust you understand the potential risks of children melting chocolate on their kitchen stove.)

Despite selling the Wonks division later, several of its candies are still in production today, with one directly inspired by the book and film: Everlasting Gobstoppers.

A Galaxy Far, Far Away…

Following the unexpected success of George Lucas’ film “American Graffiti”, he was presented with the chance to renegotiate his contract for his subsequent movie, an audacious science-fiction project titled “Star Wars”. His agent believed that Lucas could increase his salary from $200,000 to $700,000, and a share of the film’s profits if any were realized.

However, Lucas declined the offer for additional money. Instead, he proposed to Fox that he create “Star Wars” for the same amount, on the condition that they grant him ownership of all future sequels and control over the franchise’s merchandising and licensing rights.

Fox agreed, unaware that they had potentially cost themselves billions. This deal enabled Lucas to almost single-handedly transform the film marketing world, as he later stated his motivation was to secure control and due to his fear that Fox might not promote “Star Wars” adequately. If they did advertise it, he thought he could produce merchandise like T-shirts himself.

When “Star Wars” became one of the most successful films ever made, this worry became largely irrelevant. Yet, the agreement transformed “Star Wars” into a merchandising powerhouse — and one of the first movies to form partnerships with restaurants for cross-promotion deals. The original 1977 film had several fast food tie-ins; for example, the Burger Chef chain distributed “Star Wars” posters, while Burger King offered collectible Star Wars glasses, a practice that soon became standard for blockbuster movies.

Today, those original “Star Wars” cups are sought after by collectors, but they should be used with caution as a study found that they contained lead paint. Oops!

The Happy Meal

The significance of marketing to children in the realm of tie-in foods throughout history cannot be understated. Most films transformed into edibles have been designed with a broad audience in mind, focusing particularly on using these foods as a means to pique children’s interest. This, in turn, encourages them to persuade their parents to take them to the cinema or restaurants showcasing the toys or merchandise they’ve seen advertised on TV. It’s rare to find adult-oriented films associated with menus, even when they would be thematically fitting (consider a hypothetical “9 1/2 Weeks” menu).

Since its inception, McDonald’s innovative Happy Meal has been intertwined with movies. After extensive testing and refinement during the 1970s, the Happy Meal concept was officially rolled out nationwide in 1979. One of the initial themed Happy Meals was for “Star Trek: The Motion Picture,” a film that may not have been geared towards children (unless you were a child who appreciated ponderous sci-fi films about astronauts exploring space clouds). However, the Star Trek brand was popular in the late 1970s due to decades of syndicated reruns and an animated series. With a high-budget movie in theaters, it provided an ideal subject for the Happy Meal.

The original Star Trek Happy Meal offered comics, games, and a plastic communicator toy, but no themed food was included yet. That development came later. Nevertheless, the success of the Star Trek Happy Meal set the stage for the long-term association between movies and fast food.

Part a Complete Breakfast

In the era of the Star Wars sequels, the franchise had transformed into a lucrative asset for any company that held its license, leading to an influx of merchandise. Around the premiere of Return of the Jedi in 1983, food items inspired by the movies began gaining popularity, although the term “inspired” might be overstating it in this context.

For instance, a breakfast cereal named C-3PO’s was marketed under the Star Wars brand, with its connection to the franchise limited to its name and the image of the droid on the packaging. The cereal itself was essentially two Cheerios fused together, bearing no resemblance to the Force or the Empire. After Kellogg’s lost the Star Wars license, they simply rebranded the cereal as Pro-Grain.

Nowadays, C-3PO’s are primarily recognized for the appealing Star Wars masks that were included on the back of the boxes, allowing children to create their own costumes based on their favorite characters. These masks contributed significantly to sales, and the symbiotic relationship between Star Wars and the food industry continued to strengthen over time.

Cooler Heads Prevail

During the 1980s, most merchandise related to movies appeared around the time of their release in theaters and then faded away. However, there was a unique exception – Hi-C’s Ecto Cooler, a neon citrus-flavored drink that was themed after the Ghostbusters movie and its animated series, The Real Ghostbusters. Although the original Ghostbusters films ended in 1989 and the cartoon show was canceled in 1991, Hi-C continued selling Ecto Cooler throughout the 1990s. In recent times, whenever the Ghostbusters film franchise has been rebooted, so too has Ecto Cooler – with bottles often being highly sought after and fetching high prices on secondary markets. At this point, Ecto Cooler is an integral part of the Ghostbusters lore – and for many kids from the 1990s, it’s an essential piece of their childhood, whether they were fans of Ghostbusters or not.

Fast Food Gets Dino-Sized

In the 1980s, movies influenced the creation of numerous cereals and other food items like Ecto Coolers. At fast-food restaurants, these tie-ins were primarily limited to promotional items given away with existing menu items such as Happy Meal toys or collector cups.

However, this changed significantly in the 1990s when fast-food chains entered into substantial promotional agreements with studios, leading to more elaborate tie-ins that movie enthusiasts could not only collect but also consume.

One of the first examples of these advanced tie-ins emerged in 1993, when McDonald’s introduced a “Jurassic Park Meal” to coincide with the year’s biggest blockbuster. The novelty here was that customers could “dino-size” their drink, fries, or even their burger, by opting for a Jurassic Park triple cheeseburger.

The Super Hero Burger

1995 saw me marveling at McDonald’s innovative collaboration with Warner Bros., promoting the release of “Batman Forever”. Alongside the commemorative glasses, they introduced a special edition “Super Hero Burger”, essentially a triple cheeseburger on a hero roll rather than the conventional bun, thus elevating it to a true superhero meal.

The movie itself added another layer of excitement when Val Kilmer’s Batman joked about grabbing drive-thru after his crime-fighting duties. This scene was cleverly incorporated into the Super Hero Burger advertisements, with the legendary Don LaFontaine lending his voice to the commercials. His delivery of “The great taste of two cheeses melted over three beef patties” never sounded so urgent as it did when he said it.

The Volcano Burrito

In the 1990s, McDonald’s wasn’t the sole fast-food chain that dabbled in film promotion. Taco Bell also invested significantly, often featuring blockbuster movies in their advertisements and sometimes even on their menus. For instance, while McDonald’s was promoting Batman Forever, Taco Bell backed Congo, a movie that seemed destined to be another Jurassic Park-like smash hit based on Michael Crichton’s book.

Regrettably, Congo the film didn’t meet its box office expectations. However, the Taco Bell offering created to cross-promote it – the “Volcano Burrito,” described as having “seasoned beef, beans, rice, a blend of three cheese, and flowing with fiery red sauce” – has been reintroduced multiple times by the restaurant since then. A quick Google search will reveal numerous heartfelt tributes from fans to this spicy dish. Interestingly, Congo’s climax involves the characters fleeing an erupting volcano, which thematically tied in with the Volcano Burrito’s name, even though it was spewing lava, not Mexican cuisine.

In other words, Taco Bell’s promotional strategy for Congo may not have been a box office success, but it certainly left a lasting impression on their customers!

There’s Pineapple Shrimp, Lemon Shrimp, Coconut Shrimp, Pepper Shrimp, Shrimp Soup, Shrimp Stew, Shrimp Salad, Shrimp and Potatoes, Shrimp Burger, Shrimp Sandwich…

In the mid-1990s, film enthusiasts could often purchase food items inspired by their beloved movies, including Batman Forever. However, a restaurant themed around a single movie was unheard of at that time. That changed in 1996 with the introduction of the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company, which was modeled after the hugely successful 1994 Academy Award-winning film Forrest Gump. In the movie, Forrest and his war companion Lieutenant Dan establish a shrimping business named Bubba Gump; in reality, an entrepreneur seeking to revitalize his struggling frozen seafood business obtained the rights to the “Bubba Gump” name from Paramount Pictures.

When Bubba Gump frozen food proved popular, a full-fledged restaurant was established – and soon, many more followed suit. Today, thirty years after Forrest Gump first graced the silver screen, the Bubba Gump chain continues to thrive, with numerous locations scattered across the globe.

Small Soldiers, Big Burgers

Reflecting on the history of product tie-ins, it’s astonishing to discover that numerous enduring fast food items we consume today initially emerged as promotions for movies, many of which have since faded into obscurity.

For instance, the 1998 animated film “Small Soldiers” was a box office failure and is now barely recalled by anyone except Joe Dante’s devoted fans. However, one item from Burger King’s “Small Soldiers” campaign, the Rodeo Cheeseburger, featuring cheese, onion rings, and Bull’s-Eye Barbecue sauce, is still available on their menu, albeit with some modifications. The current version lacks the cheese, and the sauce is now unbranded, but you can still order one from your local Burger King right away!

Marvelous Fast Food Menus

In the 21st century, as blockbuster movies grew larger, so did the associated food offerings in restaurants. Chains started offering numerous items, sometimes even entire temporary menus, to align with major films. If size equals quality in cinemas, couldn’t the same concept work in dining establishments?

For instance, Baskin-Robbins was among the first to join this trend with their tie-ins for the 2003 movie X2. They introduced flavors like “X-Mint” and “X-Treme Berry Sherbet,” as well as sundaes inspired by Storm and Wolverine. The “Berry Rampage Sundae” featured “X-Treme Berry Sherbet with strawberry topping, whipped cream, Wild Berry Wonka Nerds, and a Blue Raspberry Sour Punch Straw ‘X’.”

Although it’s hard to picture Hugh Jackman consuming vast amounts of whipped cream and Sour Punch Straws while maintaining his superhero physique, and I doubt Wolverine would appreciate food named after him that included “Nerds,” the candy “X” on top is a thoughtful touch.

Okay, This One Isn’t Really All That Historic, But Just Look at That Picture. How Could I Not Include This?

Although Dunkin’ Donuts’ desserts themed around 2011’s “Captain America: The First Avenger” weren’t revolutionary, the picture of the “First Avenger Tri-Cup,” which combined three flavors of Coolatta (cherry, vanilla bean, and blue raspberry), caught my attention. It seemed like something everyone should see. Now you have, enjoy!

Theme Parks Get Tied Up With Tie-Ins

In the realm of cinema-themed food during the 2010s, a significant shift occurred from dishes loosely based on movies to edibles straight from the silver screen. While some may argue that this is merely an evolution, such as offering Popeye Spinach decades ago, the change was most noticeable in theme parks.

Disney’s themed lands and worlds have always been known for ice cream shaped like Mickey Mouse, but it was Universal Studios that truly pioneered this trend with their “Wizarding World of Harry Potter.” Opened in 2010 at Orlando’s Islands of Adventure theme park, this section mirrored the movie series’ world in intricate detail. One aspect of this immersive experience involved serving signature foods and beverages from the films to guests – with butterbeer, a carbonated drink served in taverns within the Harry Potter books and movies, being the most notable and popular example.

Universal’s butterbeer recipe, which is worth mentioning for its delicious taste, was so well-received that they expanded their offerings to include various versions: not just butterbeer but hot butterbeer, frozen butterbeer, butterbeer ice cream, butterbeer fudge, and even butterbeer potted cream. (Indulging in this kind of diet might lead to health concerns, such as an early-onset heart attack at the age of 30.)

The Tie-Ins Get Weirder, and the Internet Notices

Over the past decade, the marketing strategies for movie tie-ins have grown increasingly extravagant, showcasing unnatural colors and flavors. One such example that gained significant attention was the “Darth Vader” burger, launched in conjunction with the 3D re-release of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace in 2012. This black-hued burger was served at the French restaurant Quick, but American chains quickly jumped on the bandwagon, creating their own over-the-top movie-inspired foods.

The reason behind this trend is simple: attention. These movies aren’t aiming for James Beard Awards; they’re after viewers. If associating with a burger that resembles the Grim Reaper’s handiwork helps them achieve that, so be it.

Similarly, chain restaurants don’t mind creating unusual food items like black burgers, even if you wouldn’t dream of eating one. The allure is in sharing such unique culinary creations with those brave enough to try them (like me), and then capturing the moment when they do, for social media posting.

One Theme Menu to Rule Them All

A strategy reminiscent of the idea – “If we serve foods so extraordinary they spark internet sensation, the consumption itself becomes irrelevant” – appeared to be driving the series of grandiose thematic menus introduced by Denny’s. This eatery emerged as America’s uncontested mastermind in movie tie-in cuisine during the 2010s.

In 2012, Denny’s unveiled a menu inspired by the first installment of Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit” films. This menu showcased extraordinary items such as the “Lonely Mountain Treasure” (a seed cake French toast with cream cheese dipping icing), the “Lone-Lands Campfire Cookie Milk Shake” (a vanilla milkshake infused with s’mores cookie pieces), and “Radagast’s Red Velvet Pancake Pippies” (no official explanation provided).

The menu was undeniably successful, prompting Denny’s to replicate this formula – “Major motion picture + Large selection of foods that seem like they were concocted as a dare” – time and again throughout the decade.

Another Picture Too Deranged Not to Include

In the late 1960s, Baskin-Robbins introduced a unique flavor called “Lunar Cheesecake” – a green and white cheesecake-flavored ice cream with cheesecake bits and a graham cracker ribbon. This was originally launched as a tie-in to current events, capitalizing on the excitement surrounding the Apollo 11 moon landing. The color and flavor were inspired by an old myth that suggested the moon was made of green cheese. After moon-mania subsided, the flavor was retired. However, it returned in 2012 as a tie-in to the movie “Men In Black 3”, which incidentally had the Apollo 11 mission as a plot point. Since then, it has been brought back occasionally for special Baskin-Robbins anniversaries. I find the concept of people seeing this and thinking “Yes, I do want to eat the strange green thing the alien is offering in the movie” quite amusing.

Actually, Make That Two Theme Menus…

When Peter Jackson produced a follow-up to “The Hobbit” movie, Denny’s followed suit with a sequel to their “Hobbit” menu. Just like typical Hollywood sequels, this new edition was grander and more extravagant than its predecessor.

For the “The Desolation of Smaug” menu at Denny’s, there were no less than eight innovative additions, such as the “Smaug’s Fire Burger” (a beef patty on a grilled Cheddar bun with their special X-sauce, Jalapeno Bottle Caps, melted Pepper Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onions, and pickles), “Bilbo’s Breakfast Feast” (a slice of honey cake French toast drizzled with honey, scrambled eggs with Cheddar cheese, fresh spinach, mushrooms, a breakfast sausage, and crispy hash browns), and the “Hobbit Hole Breakfast” (I won’t explain it again, as I just had lunch). Diners could also create their own “Hobbit Slam,” which might have been considered illicit if done in the Shire. At Denny’s, anything is permissible.

The excessive indulgence of the “Smaug” menu became a sensation online, with journalists enthusiastically writing about the food and even visiting Denny’s to try it themselves (who would do such a thing?). Interestingly, despite Denny’s continued creation of themed menus, they did not produce one for the final “Hobbit” film, “The Battle of the Five Armies.” Perhaps they knew there was no surpassing that Hobbit Hole Breakfast.

The Galaxy’s (Cutting Culinary) Edge

Universal’s Wizarding World might have pioneered the concept of integrating film tourism with food, but Disney surpassed this by immersing visitors into a Star Wars theme to an unprecedented level within their Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge sections at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World. These themed lands don’t just serve famous Star Wars movie items like the breakfast blue milk (which is dairy-free and tastes more like a fruit smoothie at Disneyland), they exclusively offer foods and drinks that align with the Star Wars universe, such as the “Ronto wrap” (a fusion of a hot dog and gyro) and “moof juice” (a blend of fruit punch, pineapple-orange juice, and chipotle-pineapple). Even the Coca-Cola products available in Galaxy’s Edge are Star Wars themed, sold in containers resembling thermal detonators.

Disney took Universal’s idea of blending film tourism with food a step further by creating immersive Star Wars experiences within their Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge areas at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. These themed lands don’t just offer famous Star Wars movie items, but exclusively serve foods and drinks that fit the Star Wars universe, such as the “Ronto wrap” (a hot dog-gyro fusion) and “moof juice” (fruit punch, pineapple-orange juice, and chipotle-pineapple blend). Even the Coca-Cola products available in Galaxy’s Edge are themed as Star Wars merchandise, sold in thermal detonator-like containers.

Scrumdiddlyumptious

Over the past few years, Denny’s has lost its crown as the pioneer in movie-themed food collaborations to IHOP. The latter has created extravagant and eccentric menus for films such as “The Grinch” (green pancakes!), “The Addams Family” (purple hot chocolate!), and “Wonka” (purple pancakes!). If you can pair a movie with an unusual color on a breakfast dish, IHOP will happily oblige. Given that “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” was one of the first examples of this marketing strategy, it’s quite fitting that they chose it for such promotions. In both publicity and pop culture, everything seems to cycle back around.

The Future…?

An unexpected domain that has not seen a vast array of film-themed foods is the movie theater itself, which for many years seemed content with serving mostly the same popcorn and unhealthy snacks with minimal changes or inventions. However, in recent times, as theaters face stiff competition from streaming services and the internet, they too have started to explore the realm of tie-ins. Cinemas offering in-theater dining often cash in on new releases with special items; for instance, the Alamo Drafthouse has attempted to attract customers with promotions like “Spider-Man” Green Goblin Pizza” (topped with a “sour cream web”) and “Ninja Turtles” popcorn flavored like pizza (which was quite tasty, surprisingly).

Even conventional multiplexes are joining the trend. AMC frequently releases unique Icee flavors based on movies, such as a dreadful black slushie for “The Addams Family”. They’ve evidently observed the popularity of extravagant tie-ins and have followed suit, offering increasingly outlandish popcorn containers. The one linked to “Dune” even garnered criticism not only online but on late-night television; on eBay, these buckets were selling for over $100.

Tie-ins are here to stay. As long as people go to the movies, movie enthusiasts will crave foods inspired by them, and those selling the films will be more than willing to accommodate this demand.

Read More

2025-01-14 21:55

Previous post Brawl Stars Controversy: Did They Change the Thumbnail or What?
Next post Boy Meets World alum Danielle Fishel still in pain after undergoing 20 rounds of radiation for breast cancer