Reverse Shoplifting by Haiku
June 26th, 2008 5:45 PMThe full write-up is in the photos. Clicky clicky.
The ringer
I don't know if you're familiar with the store Whole Foods, but they sell all manner of organic and hippie-friendly items. I wanted to play on this idea, and it occurred to me - what would be better than green tea? SOYLENT green tea! I purchased this box of real green tea in order to use it as a template for my project.
Barcode
This is key. As long as I keep the same type of product and retain the integrity of the barcode, then it will scan and hopefully the people at the register won't notice that it's not exactly what it looks like.
Price tag
I copied the price tag onto a sticker so I could have a similar three dimensional object to put onto my product. It just wouldn't look right if it were printed on.
Teacup
I made some tea (non-soylent) and took a photo of it to use on the package I'm making.
New package
Okay, so I blatantly stole the entire design and copy of the original box of tea. I'll put my box far enough away from the Allegro tea boxes that maybe no one will notice.
Ready to glue up
Using the paper templates I printed (visible in the last picture) I cut out the package. I had to do it in two parts instead of one long one because I couldn't figure out how to tell my printer to accept one long sheet of paper. No worries, it'll work out okay.
Tea
I put the original tea bags in the new box. I wouldn't want to rip off anyone! They might feel ripped off that it's not real soylent green tea though.
Almost there
The price tag next to the new package.
Perfect
The price tag, affixed at a jaunty angle, as if it were slapped on by a bored stock boy.
Comparison
The new package is smaller than the original because my printer isn't big enough to print a 9 inch wide sheet of paper. Oh well, the tea fits, so it's not a big deal. Notice that I perforated the tab tear-off so you can really use this box.
Comparison
Another view.
Copy
The copy is mostly the same as the original, but with a few key phrases changed.
Ingredients
Free range? We all know what soylent green is.... I removed the Certified Kosher logo from the original package. I have a feeling people aren't kosher - even free range ones.
Buy me!
It blends right in, happy in its new home. Anyone want some Haiku brand Soylent Green Tea?
70 vote(s)
- Pixie
- Super Fly
- Sparrows Fall
- SNORLAX
- Darkaardvark
- Evil Sugar
- H L
- Dela Dejavoo
- Myrna Minx
- Spidere
- Sean Mahan
- Lincøln
- susy derkins
- JJason Recognition
- hmrpita (Lenore)
- K!
- Rainy
- Dax Tran-Caffee
- Julian Muffinbot
- JK Bobbins
- Augustus deCorbeau
- Loki
- JTony Loves Brains
- auntie matter
- ENØ Bli33ard
- Super Mean
- zer0gee
- Flitworth
- Burn Unit
- Ink Tea
- Tøm
- rongo rongo
- Minch
- Bjørn Teuleuse
- Waldo Cheerio
- GYØ Vicki
- teh Lolbrarian
- Rachel's Reflection
- done
- Lank
- Scarlett
- Jellybean of Thark
- Jagganath
- help im a bear
- Not Here No More
- GYØ Ben
- Pip Estrelle
- Ben Yamiin
- Edison Small
- Absurdum
- Haberley Mead
- teucer
- Juliette
- Marshall Electric
- Pamda Bhaer
- John Galt
- HKEY_Current _User
- TEA
- Adam
- Miss Woof
- Neutron
- Placid Dingo
- Dan |ØwO|
- Picø ҉ ØwO
- Chase of SF0
- Flybug
- lethalbeef
- C. J.
- Tarozaemon Rossini
- Jade Osilla
Favorite of:
- Myrna Minx
- Lincøln
- Super Mean
- teh Lolbrarian
- Lank
- Spidere
- Burn Unit
- John Galt
- TEA
- Adam
- GYØ Ben
- Abe the Lion Tamer
- Placid Dingo
- Picø ҉ ØwO
- Danny
- Jade Osilla
Terms
(none yet)32 comment(s)
At which Whole Foods location did you place this? I want to BUY it.
Whole Foods Cambridge, MA, River St.
It was rush hour shopping when I did it, too. I went in, picked up a basket, and reached into my bag and put the package in the basket. Then I went to the tea isle, picked up a different kind of tea, examined it, then put it back, and put my box on the shelf. I was very sly. And then I took pictures. Yeah, that was weird.
it's the copy on the box that killed me.
ha ha, killed me. heh. i shouldn't be allowed to make comments.
Wow! This rocks! Do you know how valuable that box will become?
The perforation - brilliant.
http://cgi.ebay.com/haiku-brand-soylent-green-tea-original-flavor_W0QQitemZ320285870736QQcmdZViewItem
:) All proceeds will be donated to SF0.
Apparently $3.58, so far...not even sticker price. Well, it's still open until Monday; maybe people are taking advantage of ebay sniping. :)
http://cgi.ebay.com/haiku-brand-soylent-green-tea-original-flavor_W0QQitemZ320285870736QQcmdZViewItem
Everyone Knows I Love My Soylent Green..... Tea!
This is awesome, I wish I could stumble across soylent green tea in my local shop!
Frighteningly well done. The price sticker was a nice touch, too.
uhm. wow.
i especially like this:
"The price tag, affixed at a jaunty angle"
You must be an I.D. with all these advanced prototyping skills... the egg, now this! very nice
One of my friends just linked to this on her blog. I followed the link, and was pleasantly surprised to see that it led to a praxis. (I was expecting some random website with joke items for sale) That is quite impressive. And no, I don't think it could be kosher - good call on removing that.
Also, the friend in question mentioned that she had it in her possession - which implies that you were also successful in getting someone to buy it.
Really? That's awesome! There was always a doubt that the barcode would work. I obviously couldn't test it (actually I thought of printing it out as a sticker and putting it on a different box of tea to see if I could buy that, but I ended up just trusting in the miracles of electronics).
Well, I can try to get further clarification on it, but she claimed to have it.
Update: I checked with my friend. It seems there is someone in... Maryland? who is on sf0, saw the tea and wanted it, and so asked some friends in Boston to buy it. Said friends bought it, then passed it on to the friend I know so that she can transport it to the person who wanted it. So yes, it was purchased. And it is crossing state lines. She thinks it is rather cool - but she is just the messenger.
Plus a possible purchase confirmation? Excellent.
Wow this is brilliant. Super, excellent, marvellous, smashing.
And all that jazz.
WOW. I MEAN...... WOW. my reverse shoplifting is absolutley NOTHING compared to this.
I want to buy your tea... how do I place an order?
This is fantastic!