Brazilian Brands: Sal Cisne
There’s a significant amount of irrationality in branding isn’t there? We consumers make choices based on colours and designs, often without even realising that we’re being influenced. If we stopped to think logically about it, I expect many of would concede that there’s probably no significant difference between product A and product B. All the same, for some reason we keep picking product A.
Today’s Brazilian Brand is one that I took to instantly, though I’m fairly sure it is in no way superior to other brands. I just like it.
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Sal Cisne
Name: Sal Cisne
Product: Table salt
Description: The Sal Cisne salt refinery was built in Cabo Frio (150km east of Rio de Janiero) in 1949. They have a range of products, from big bags of sal grosso (coarse salt, essential for the churrasco) to smaller containers of table salt. But of all their products, one (or should that be two?) stands out.
The official name for this chirpy couple is the rather dull saleiro ovo (egg salt cellar), l but I think that most of us know them better as Senhor e Senhora Sal. As you can see, Mr Salt wears a blue cap while Mrs Salt has a pretty red boater. When I first saw this pair in the supermarket, I wondered “Apart from the hats, what’s the difference between Mr and Mrs Salt?”. The answer? Absolutely nothing! They both contain perfectly normal table salt.
Verdict: I like them! What can I say? I’m an irrational consumer! I could try to justify my preference by saying that the egg shape fits in the hand nicely, that the little hats actually do a very good job of keeping the salt dry and free-flowing, but in reality I just like having a happy little salt man in the kitchen.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I always buy Senhor Sal, rather than his wife. I mentioned this to Mrs Eat Rio and she suggested that it was because “sal” is a masculine word, so it made sense. I appreciate that she credited me with such a logical decision making process, but I have to admit that I just like his cheeky smile.
From 1968, an advert demonstrating just how much eggs love Senhor Sal.
I’ll leave you with a one of the most brilliant things I’ve ever seen on YouTube – a Sal Cisne advert from 1982. I tell you, I like salt (and probably use more than I should), but check out how much of the stuff gets dumped on the steaks at the 12 second mark! I get high blood pressure just watching…
I feel you! I always go for Senhor Sal.
Heh heh! I remember being quite disappointed when I discovered that Mrs Salt was exactly the same salt. I don’t know what I was expecting exactly (flavours?!), but I just assumed there had to be something different…
They should have at least made Mrs Salt with a bigger ass, it would be more lifelike that way ;)
Ha ha! Maybe then I’d go for Mrs Salt… ;)
lol, whos dont like that funny salt with hat?! Everyone always look for it at supermarket… it come from childhood!
haha, como não gostar daquele sal engraçado de chapéu?! todo mundo sempre procura por ele nos supermercados… isso é de infância!
Hey Victor – I guess I’m a big kid then! I only met Senhor Sal 3 years ago and I liked him straight away :D
The Senhora Salt looks clingy, which is a turn off in both Salt and women. Perhaps your subconscious male survival insticts is turning you away from her.
I’d say being clingy is also a turn off in men as well as women and salt! In other condiments however, being clingy is a positive benefit. Just imagine if mustard didn’t cling to linguiça, or marmite didn’t cling to toast.
You had me at mustard, and lost me on marmite.
:D
Oh Tom, you are really covering ALL Brazilian brands at Food & Drink in your blog, aren’t you ?
So… Mr. & Mrs. Salt still exist. I have to confess I’ve alway considered that duo very tacky (cafona).
But now I see them in your post… giggles ! And saudades…
Cafona?! 8-O Hee hee! I suppose they’re not exactly what you’d expect to find in a gourmet kitchen. But I imagine that little boys and girls all over Brazil would be sad if their parents stopped buying them :D