Thursday, September 01, 2011

Thematic Photographic: Shopping for gum

And I didn’t get kicked out.

So I decided to do another shopping set, and really didn’t want to get kicked out of another store.  So I thought “Hey! Chevron.  I work there, they won’t kick me out.”

I also decided the theme would be “Hmm, when does too many choices become more of a burden than a convenience?”

I started thinking of this about 4 years ago when I was stocking the Coke in the fridge.  You see, at last count, there were about 30 different kinds of coke you could buy.  Coke.  Cherry Coke.  Vanilla Coke.  Vanilla Cherry Coke.  Diet Coke. Diet Coke with Lime.  Diet Cherry Coke.  Diet Vanilla Coke.  And then we go into the Coke Zeros, which are sugar free like Diet, but definitively NOT diet.

But tonight I decided to focus on gum.  Look at the pictures, count the different flavors, brands and types of gum.  Each picture is of a different section of gum in our store.  Six sections, strewn around the store, everywhere you look.  And still we have customers come in and ask “Where’s your gum?”

I’ve seen people literally spend 10 to 15 minutes browsing the gum for just that one perfect flavor/shape/brand.

Seriously folks, it’s all the same, just grab a blue pack and get on with your life.

5 comments:

A Paperback Writer said...

Okay, is it just me? Or does anyone else think that gum packaging recently has shifted more and more toward looking like condom packaging? Seriously.
What ever happened to the stick-shaped packs? That was "gum" shaped. These new things, black with neon writing and with flap tops, not only leave more waste for people to throw on the ground, they are the right size and shape for little packages of a very different sort.

Alexia said...

Good heavens! So much gum - what is it with gum? Why do people chew this stuff???

It's not hugely popular in this country. Kids are not supposed to chew it at school... there's NOTHING worse than moving a students' table and finding a clump of gum stuck underneath because someone didn't want the teacher to catch them chewing gum. grrrrrr.

Rant over. These are cool pics, Max :)!!

carmilevy said...

My mind boggles at the diverse packaging going on in the gum rack. Imagine how much brainpower the world over is devoted to coming up with packages that stand out. I think they're all trying way too hard :)

Max Sartin said...

Yeah, and let's face it - there's really only 3 flavors (kind of like Kool-Aid; minty, cinnamonny and sweet.

Bob Scotney said...

At least your customers didn't say, Got any gum, chum?' This is what English kids would say to US soldiers during WWII. To much of a good thing just gums up the works. I didn't know so many gums existed; I've still got teeth in mine.