Published: Wednesday October 7, 2009 MYT 2:27:00 PM
Australians pick 'cheesy' name for smooth Vegemite
ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) - Australians have picked a name for the cream cheese update to their iconic Vegemite spread after the name chosen by Kraft last month was rejected in a national backlash.
Vegemite Cheesybite was named the winner Wednesday after 30,000 Australians and New Zealanders voted in a three-day poll.
The rhyming moniker replaces iSnack2.0, which was announced as the name for the new product last month and dumped just four days later.
"We have been overwhelmed by the response of the Australian public; it has been an insightful debate," Kraft Foods Australia New Zealand head of corporate affairs, Simon Talbot, said in a statement.
Kraft launched its new product - Vegemite mixed with cream cheese for a smoother spread - in July, with jars carrying a label that read: "Name Me." Australians and Kiwis were invited to enter a public contest similar to the one that named the original Vegemite in 1923.
The company chose iSnack2.0 from nearly 50,000 submissions and announced it Sept. 26 to much fanfare at the Grand Final of the Australian Football League. Within hours, the name was criticized in online forums, spoofed in a YouTube video and marketed as an "epic failure" on T-shirts produced by an Australian clothing company.
Kraft withdrew iSnack2.0, and last weekend Quantum Market Research conducted online polling and a telephone survey to gauge support for a list of suggested new names. Vegemite Cheesybite was the most popular, with 36 percent of the vote, followed by Vegemite Smooth with 23 per cent of the vote, Kraft said in its statement.
The original Vegemite - a salty, slightly bitter spread made from brewer's yeast - became such a part of Australian lifestyle that it was mentioned in the 1980s hit song, "Down Under," by Men at Work.
Australians spread it on toast or crackers, top it with tomatoes or avocados, and use it to flavor soups and gravies. They often pack a jar when traveling and write home for more when living abroad.
The new stock will appear on store shelves in the coming months after iSnack2.0 jars are sold out.
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