Ender has found a new love.  A little taste of home that reminds him of the US and all the goodies that he misses.  Ender has found “Bingo” potato chips.

Now, Bingos aren’t just any ordinary chip.  With the look and taste of wonderfully ridgy Ruffles, Bingos have an added something special.  Let me quote the bag:

“Shake a few grains of salt.  Imagine its invisible fineness.  See it transform your meal to a delicious delight.  Feel its delicate presence in Premium Salted Potato Chips.  Savour their unique freshness.  Relish their crunchy crispness.”

SALT!  They are special because they have Salt!  Who would have ever guessed?  With its invisible fineness and the delicate presence, it transforms your meal.  (Good to know that they sometimes make a meal out of potato chips in India too!).  Notice the tremendous pile of salt on the front of the bag.  My blood pressure rises just looking at it.  There’s enough salt there to take the ice off the driveway of a Michigan household in January.

They even have their own website.  www.bingeonbingo.com.   The website URL itself is strange, as encouraging people to binge on anything isn’t great in this day and age, but ok, I’ll let it pass.  I expected a regular company website when I visited, but was shocked to see that it was a huge advertisement disguised as a virtual world and aimed at children and teens.  There, (after you lie about your advanced age in order to get in), you can wander around the “school campus”, visiting such sites as the auditorium (view commercials for Bingo, an a few “educational” movies as well), lockers (download nifty Bingos screensavers and wallpapers), canteen (learn about the many versions of Bingos you can buy), library (where you can post the praises of Bingos) and the Gym.  I was hoping the gym would have some info about getting off your fat butt and going outside for a bit before you eat another bag of Bingos, but no, its all online games.  To make it all the more horrifying, you have to have a virtual full pack of Bingos in order to visit the different areas.  If you have used all of your Bingos Energy points, you have to go to the canteen and get more Bingos before you can go anywhere else.  Targeted marketing/brainwashing…there is little difference here.  Of course, the marketing is the same as every other product aimed at kids, just more blatant about it than most.   

While the back of the bag sounds a bit like a over-exaggerated bath soap or laundry commercial, and the website is a shameless marketing ploy aimed at 10 year olds, I must admit that Bingos are mighty fine things.  Now if only we could find some sour cream dip to go with them…..