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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To not only hate the Noodle ad, but wonder about the danger.

78 replies

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:24

I do hate most advertising in truth. But the bloody Pot Noodle one with the girl in the staff break room, making and eating her ?lunch so utterly obnoxiously really really annoys me. I mute/change channel/walk away every time - and it is on so often, so this happens a lot.
But, thinking about it, how safe is it to inhale a mouthful of them like that, I can't help but wonder/imagine, IF one has a good strong "suck", tis clump of soggy flour and water (and whatever other nastiness is in there...) could shoot straight into the back of the throat, where it can't be chewed, but is probably too big to swallow.
I don't think I am BU - - but wonder if this concern has occurred to anyone else?

OP posts:
SoRainbowRhythms · 25/02/2024 14:26

That's how they eat ramen in Japan and Korea. It's very loud! And I didn't see anyone choking.

Hermittrismegistus · 25/02/2024 14:28

I actually choked on a noddle the other day. I hadn't chewed properly due to rushing to get back to work. Ended up struggling to breath in a panic and had to carefully pull the noodle from the back of my throat. It was quite scary.

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:31

SoRainbowRhythms · 25/02/2024 14:26

That's how they eat ramen in Japan and Korea. It's very loud! And I didn't see anyone choking.

Ah, right. That must be where the "creative" agency got their idea from.
Lovely.

(Also, see the post that followed yours.)

OP posts:
Sparklesocks · 25/02/2024 14:33

It’s quite a gross ad but I don’t think it’s going to encourage a wave of choking.

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:35

Sparklesocks · 25/02/2024 14:33

It’s quite a gross ad but I don’t think it’s going to encourage a wave of choking.

Encourage?

I cannot believe anyone came up with it, or that the client signed off on it. It is revolting.

OP posts:
kitsuneghost · 25/02/2024 14:41

Hate the advert, but worrying of people choking is a bit ridiculous

Sparklesocks · 25/02/2024 14:44

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:35

Encourage?

I cannot believe anyone came up with it, or that the client signed off on it. It is revolting.

Apologies if I misunderstood but I thought you suggesting you had a concern about how the noodles were eaten in the advert and not being safe, so anyone watching could copy and choke. Hence ‘encourage’. Or did I get it wrong?

It’s probably gross on purpose to get people talking. You made a thread about it so it’s doing its job if so.

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:45

kitsuneghost · 25/02/2024 14:41

Hate the advert, but worrying of people choking is a bit ridiculous

Why is it ridiculous?
A PP has just said that she nearly choked on only one noodle.
I would have thought that anything slightly bulky that heads to the throat unchewed is a possible hazard (and this ad shows someone potentially having that happen).
First Aid basics.

OP posts:
KarlaKK · 25/02/2024 14:45

I haven't seen the ad but do worry myself about people choking over food. There have been reports of young children dying if a cherry tomato or grape gets stuck in the windpipe and also spaghetti that hasn't been cut up. My friend had to pull long strands of spaghetti out of her son's mouth once when too much went down at once. I think he was 8 or 9 at the time.

I really didn't like those competitive trends of eating as many dry cream crackers as you can or marshmallows. I just see choke hazards. Same with the people that enter competitions to eat as much food as possible in 30 mins or whatever although I have noticed they take measured bites to avoid choking.

I would definitely recommend biting into any food if I was watching this ad with a child. And explain what could happen.

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:48

Sparklesocks · 25/02/2024 14:44

Apologies if I misunderstood but I thought you suggesting you had a concern about how the noodles were eaten in the advert and not being safe, so anyone watching could copy and choke. Hence ‘encourage’. Or did I get it wrong?

It’s probably gross on purpose to get people talking. You made a thread about it so it’s doing its job if so.

Worded oddly.
The ad is (obviously) encouraging people to eat whatever the product is - but not encourage a wave of choking. And that's not what I was saying.
And yes, I am talking about it - but not mentioning brand, and certainly not in flattering terms. Let's face it, that stuff can only loosely be described as food.

OP posts:
kitsuneghost · 25/02/2024 14:50

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:45

Why is it ridiculous?
A PP has just said that she nearly choked on only one noodle.
I would have thought that anything slightly bulky that heads to the throat unchewed is a possible hazard (and this ad shows someone potentially having that happen).
First Aid basics.

Of course you can choke on a noodle you can choke on many things but the advert is not going to encourage of discourage choking. You are being overdramatic

KarlaKK · 25/02/2024 14:51

I've just done a quick Google and the NY Department of Health says a child's trachea is roughly the size of a drinking straw. I think the OP might have a point about safety.

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:51

KarlaKK · 25/02/2024 14:45

I haven't seen the ad but do worry myself about people choking over food. There have been reports of young children dying if a cherry tomato or grape gets stuck in the windpipe and also spaghetti that hasn't been cut up. My friend had to pull long strands of spaghetti out of her son's mouth once when too much went down at once. I think he was 8 or 9 at the time.

I really didn't like those competitive trends of eating as many dry cream crackers as you can or marshmallows. I just see choke hazards. Same with the people that enter competitions to eat as much food as possible in 30 mins or whatever although I have noticed they take measured bites to avoid choking.

I would definitely recommend biting into any food if I was watching this ad with a child. And explain what could happen.

I agree - you are so right.

And thank you for mentioning the other choking risks..... I had thought of if, but of course, then am told that I am worrying "too much".

Sometimes, it's easy to forget how narrow and close the oesophagus and trachea actually are - and how vital.

OP posts:
Sparklesocks · 25/02/2024 14:53

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:48

Worded oddly.
The ad is (obviously) encouraging people to eat whatever the product is - but not encourage a wave of choking. And that's not what I was saying.
And yes, I am talking about it - but not mentioning brand, and certainly not in flattering terms. Let's face it, that stuff can only loosely be described as food.

As the saying goes - All publicity is good publicity- you’re still talking about their brand and product. Big companies/agencies often do focus groups and research for new ads so it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s all done on purpose.

ProvincialLady1 · 25/02/2024 14:53

I nearly suffocated on spaghetti like this as a child, it was scary. Fortunately I didn't go into a complete panic but I thought I was in deep shit. Managed to pull it out and didn't gobble my food as much from then!

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:55

kitsuneghost · 25/02/2024 14:50

Of course you can choke on a noodle you can choke on many things but the advert is not going to encourage of discourage choking. You are being overdramatic

No. It is not the "encouraging" of choking (are you being deliberately obtuse?) - but the push to eat that stuff, and in that manner, which could possibly result in choking.

I don't see ads for marshmallows, but imagine they advertised them by demonstrating the Chubby Bunny method of "eating" them.

Shouldn't have got past the ASA in my opinion.

OP posts:
Vousnepouvezpasdiscuteravecdesstupides · 25/02/2024 14:56

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:35

Encourage?

I cannot believe anyone came up with it, or that the client signed off on it. It is revolting.

The makers of pot noodle would allow an ad to run if they haven't signed it off, they are not that stupid. Even if it had slipped through all the hoops, it would be pulled if permission wasn't given
I take it you don't work in advertising?

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:57

Sparklesocks · 25/02/2024 14:53

As the saying goes - All publicity is good publicity- you’re still talking about their brand and product. Big companies/agencies often do focus groups and research for new ads so it wouldn’t surprise me if it’s all done on purpose.

Not so.
And I have not yet mentioned the brand.
The ere are other Noodle manufacturers. I know, as I used to work for another major brand, who hopped on the bandwagon.

OP posts:
KarlaKK · 25/02/2024 14:59

I think it could encourage kids to do videos of themselves eating noodles this way. A tiktok trend or whatever. It's not beyond the realms of possibility. Kids were choking themselves with dressing gown belts a few years ago - really sadly as I read of one boy dying, and I think there were more.

I also think pot noodle type food is the type of thing a 12 year old might make themselves if a parent isn't home. Combine that with a jokey advert of basically inhaling food that you're not breaking down by biting it at all and it becomes the next fad for young kids who knows what could happen.

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 15:00

Vousnepouvezpasdiscuteravecdesstupides · 25/02/2024 14:56

The makers of pot noodle would allow an ad to run if they haven't signed it off, they are not that stupid. Even if it had slipped through all the hoops, it would be pulled if permission wasn't given
I take it you don't work in advertising?

Duh.
Of course, they will in their wisdom have signed off on it; I am not saying that it was just randomly created and broadcast without any input or approval.

I know enough about advertising (who doesn't?) to know that sometimes adverts are pulled due to complaint, and having probably narrowly come within the bounds of acceptability in the first place.

OP posts:
Sparklesocks · 25/02/2024 15:00

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:57

Not so.
And I have not yet mentioned the brand.
The ere are other Noodle manufacturers. I know, as I used to work for another major brand, who hopped on the bandwagon.

You did in the OP…

lifebeginsaftercoffee · 25/02/2024 15:01

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 14:57

Not so.
And I have not yet mentioned the brand.
The ere are other Noodle manufacturers. I know, as I used to work for another major brand, who hopped on the bandwagon.

You mentioned the brand in your OP 😏

LighthouseTheme · 25/02/2024 15:02

Sparklesocks · 25/02/2024 15:00

You did in the OP…

Ooh, I did didn't I.... I was careful to leave it out of the title though.

OP posts:
Dancingtuna · 25/02/2024 15:02

You’re over 40 aren’t you Grin

PonyPatter44 · 25/02/2024 15:02

The main risk created by that advert is that anyone who slurps like that in my office is going to get told in no uncertain terms to pack it in! And yes, I am well aware that in much of Asia this is the way to eat noodles, but that's clearly a Pot Noodle in Slough, and thus Japanese noodle etiquette doesn't apply!