Pancake Positioning

Observe two packages of pancake mix sold in supermarkets throughout Japan. They're packaged in the same size of box; they retail for roughly the same amount of money; they both make "a big big pancake with a big big taste." The only difference: one's intended as your average, everyday pancake mix; the other is branded with the swanky Hotel New Otani name. (Which also, coincidentally, happens to be the site of the now legendary Battle of Tokyo Trader Vic's. But I digress.) 

Question: Given the near-identical nature of the products, how best to differentiate them? Super kawaii "working characters" to the rescue. These otherwise unassuming packages, identical save for the image they attempt to present to customers, illustrate one of the facts Hiroko and I discovered during the making of Hello, Please! Very Helpful Super Kawaii Characters From Japan: the more exclusive a product's image, the lower the chance you'll see cute characters associated with it. 

Just take a look for yourself. Cozy 'n unpretentious Morinaga's on the left. Chic 'n glamorous New Otani's on the right. One features supercute anthropomorphic bowls, pans, pancakes, and even (in an absurdly elaborate story on the official website) a carbohydrate-laden mascot character. The other, aiming for a slightly more elegant sort of image, doesn't. Click to enlarge.

Now you know. And knowing is half the battle. Now pass me the syrup.

(You may remember the Morinaga instructions from that timeless AltJapan classic, "Makin' Pancakes the Japanese Way.")

Comments

[Gen Kanai]

I personally hate these Japanese hotto-ke-ku mixes. Give me Bisquick or give me dea... er, ok, that's going too far.

What I hate about "Japanese pancakes" is that, like shoku-pan, lighter and fluffier is better, which is NOT the case with either pancakes or bread.

[hillsy]

It's actually "Ke-ki", and I'm kinda partial to the Japanese kind. I've never really liked a dense pancake.

[H]

2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred or sifted before measuring
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups milk

Mix together. Makes an authentic, American-style pancake. No crappy hydrogenated transfats in this. Those boxed mixes are evil.

[Matt Alt]

Thanks for that! I'll give it a try. If I can figure out the recipe without kawaii characters to guide me, that is.

[Bruce A]

My wife and I love the Morinaga brand mix. I can make hotcakes from scratch (and probably should - no funny stuff that way) but these are so good and so easy.