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Silencing the Slurp

11/17/2017

14 Comments

 
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by David Hagenbuch, founder of Mindful Marketing & author of Honorable Influence

What do you like most about your favorite food: the enticing appearance, the alluring smell, the delicious taste?  How about the intriguing noise?  Of course, most foods don’t make significant sounds when eaten, and if they do, they’re generally not pleasing ones.  Such a sound problem, however, is exactly what a Japanese company has purposed to fix for one of its nation’s staple foods.
 
Japan is a country of great cuisine that includes sushi, tempura seafood, miso soup, and ramen noodles.  So, what Japanese fare is responsible for emitting unpleasant sounds?  The noise is in the noodles.

The world is home to all kinds of pasta and noodle-eating techniques from twirling, to stabbing, to scooping.  In Japan, the preferred method is slurping, which basically means using chopsticks to start the noodles into one’s mouth, then inhaling.
 
That approach works well, both in terms of eating efficiency and enjoyment—many Japanese believe slurping is the best way to appreciate the full flavor of the noodles.  With slurping, however, comes sounds that some people, namely Westerners, find unsavory.  That’s where Nissin’s “noise-cancelling” fork comes in.
 
That’s right, this Japanese company has developed a piece of flatware, called Otohiko, that aims to eliminate the noise of slurping noodles.  How is it possible to silence such a sound?  Well, the fork has a highly directional microphone inside its electric toothbrush-looking handle that senses the slurping, then signals an app-connected smartphone to play “a loud, electronic noise that sounds like waves washing ashore combined with futuristic space sounds.”

But, does this technique really eliminate the slurping noise, or does it just cover it up, the way some people try to mask their post-workout pungency with a few swipes of a deodorant stick?  As Nissin’s video shows, it’s a little bit of both.  Apparently, the company has conducted extensive research of slurps, which has led to the creation of the aforementioned sounds that strategically conceal the slurping beneath the louder swooshes and swishes of the app.

It’s not surprising that a firm found in a nation known for its technological leadership would identify an electronic answer to an ancient eating issue.  One might wonder, though, whether the problem is significant enough to warrant such a sophisticated and expensive solution, not to mention whether it really works.
 
Nissin expects each utensil to retail for 14,800 yen, or $130, which certainly isn’t cheap compared to most flatware.  The fork will not be found in any stores, however, unless the company hits a goal of 5,000 pre-orders.  Only then will manufacturing begin.

On one hand, Nissin can be commended for its broad cultural sensitivity.  Here’s a Japanese company that’s trying to respect the sound sensibilities of Westerners, while allowing its own citizens to enjoy one of their favorite foods to the fullest.  The intentions seem noble.
 
Of course, we also know “the road to . . . is paved with . . .”  That’s not to suggest that anything about Nissin’s product is immoral, but rather that consumers’ response to the fork may not be as favorable as the company would hope.  Here are three questions that suggest concern about the product’s mass market potential:

1)  Will users of the fork be satisfied with a sound cover-up?  True, those within earshot, will no longer discern the slurping, but they’ll hear other noises that may also be irritating.  Plus, if one connects the new noises to the slurping, ala Pavlov’s classical conditioning, suddenly the manufactured sounds carry the same negative associations.

2)  Is the fork a practical solution?  Most people don’t want to carry around their own utensils, especially one as big as an electronic toothbrush, to restaurants, etc.  Transporting becomes an even greater inconvenience after the fork has been used.  Where do you stash a dirty fork?  There’s also the issue that if the user’s phone, which generates the camouflaging sounds, is going to be heard, it needs to be placed in the open, with volume turned up, which adds unexpected phone calls and text messages to the list of possible dining distractions.
 
3)  Is the product worth the price?  One hundred and thirty dollars is considerable cash to plunk down on an implement that may get very little use.  Along those lines, one also might suspect that the same Japanese consumers who prefer to slurp their noodles may want to eat them with chopsticks, not a fork.  Maybe, then, Nissin should make noise-cancelling chopsticks instead.
 
It’s great when people care enough about others to alter their own behavior in order to make someone from another culture feel more comfortable.  Nissin certainly seems to have that intent, but unfortunately it’s unlikely that its innovative flatware with find significant success.  For that reason, the firm’s noise-canceling fork should be considered “Simple-Minded Marketing.”


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14 Comments
Rocky Holmes
12/4/2017 11:01:06 pm

The "Noise-Cancelling" Fork is a niche item being marketed to a large audience. Rather than cancelling noise, the product is adding more noise to an already busy atmosphere. One thing I think this post overlooked is the impact this device has on others. If used in a public setting, all surrounding diners will have to listen to the added noise. I think that might make this product mindless.

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Zack Ladson
12/7/2017 12:03:24 am

I think that the problem with this item is that it is not really solving a problem, it is simply reducing the problem, or moreover creating a new one. Will the noise it creates be more annoying than the slurping? The other issue I have with the fork is, who is going to bring a noise cancelling utensil around with them and actually use it practically? Maybe one would adopt it in their private home, but at that point how useful is a 'noise-cancelling' fork anyway when one would be alone or with family. The high price tag might warrant a high line toothbrush instead of a cover-up noise to the slurping of ramen noodles.

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Emmett Shotts
12/7/2017 01:24:36 am

I agree that this product is very simple minded because while there is a market, especially in Japan for this type of product, compared to other types of utensils it is way too highly priced. There is no point to making this special fork cost as much as it does when it only stops a noise that most people expect to hear and are used to. I don't think that the product is worth it's price and the price takes away from it's practicality. In most cases where this type of food is eaten, it is expected that the slurping noise is going to be very audible. Covering up the noise really only makes sense if you are eating noodles in a very sensitive situation while usually isn't when you should be eating noodles anyway. Because of the high price, this product needs to offer more than just "covering up the noise of slurping noodles"

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Joseph Cianciotta
12/7/2017 01:56:46 am

I agree that this product is simple minded because there may be a market for it, it doesn't really solve the issue it set out to achieve. they just made a big clunky for that can connect to your phone that makes your phone play a sound louder then your slurp. the product is just replacing the inherently irritating sound of slurping with a possibly less irritating sound, but by the seventh or eighth covered slurp to it could get annoying. i feel they haven't solved anything with this product. it could possibly be a very passive aggressive way to tell you roommate there soup eating style is crass and unwarranted.

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Cassidy Welshans
12/7/2017 09:58:42 am

As someone who cannot stand mouth noises, the idea of this product sounds amazing! However, I do not think that this product is going to be overly successful. While they are trying to be very mindful, I think it ultimately is very simple minded. I agree that Pavlov's theory will probably also cause people to now despise whatever sound the fork makes instead, as well as the fork just being an inconvenience to carry around and have to deal with. When tourists visit another country, the should expect to find things about that culture that may make them feel uncomfortable or that would be considered rude or unacceptable in another culture. I think we need to just embrace the cultural experience.

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Kevin Lyle
12/7/2017 11:17:38 am

$130 fork? Let me just pull out my wallet here... NO! Although this product has a great idea behind it, this niche product is to expensive to draw customers in. There are other possible solutions when it comes to eating food without slurping and a $130 dollar piece of silverware isn't going to be the fix. This is quite a simple minded product.

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Joshua Darville
12/7/2017 01:16:10 pm

I think this is mindful Marketing because as Westerners eating Roman with a fork causes discomfort. Things like this could hurt sales because it causes customers to lose enjoyment.

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Jing Ding
1/31/2018 03:23:00 pm

I agree that this product is simple minded because there may be a market for it. However, I don't think this product is going to be overly successful. People in Japan may think that this product is not practical because most people use the chopstick to slurp their noodles, not a fork. Also, this product is inconvenient to carry and the expensive price restricts it from popularization to people in Japan. Traditionally, this product is generally not pleasing one because many Japanese do not think slurping is a bad behavior, they believe that slurping is the best way to enjoy the noodles and it embodies a kind of respect to the chef.

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Sarah Davidson
2/1/2018 06:30:06 pm

This product is simply ridiculous and simple-minded. This product is insensitive to Japanese culture and tradition of eating ramen noodles. The price of this fork is unreasonable, the sound the fork makes will be a public disruption (more than the natural, expected sound of slurping), and it is certainly not attainable to carry the fork from restaurant to restaurant (and restaurants will not carry this product due to its price and the fact that is takes away from the experience). Traditionally ramen noodles are meant to be eaten with chopsticks and slurped, it is considered respectful in Japanese culture, so when a product like this is offered, it is insensitive to their culture and rituals.

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Xilin Luo
2/1/2018 10:53:06 pm

In my point of view, I do not think this "noise-cancelling" folk is a good product but it is simple-minded because I think it more like not actually solve the problem of slurping. The first one is culture problem. I am Chinese not Japanese, but I do understand why they eat ramen with slurping sound, which is we really enjoy the food so we can eat food with slurping sound. In Asian, we almost use chopsticks to eat food of course include ramen. The second is the price, $130 to buy a fork, I don't think it will be a popular product. I think the people who are really like Japanese food will buy this fork, but not everyone like it, so the number of potential customer is less than they expect. I don't think this fork is a good product.

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jiaying lu
2/2/2018 12:04:42 am

I see the point why this Japanese company has created Otohiko, which is to eliminate the slurping noise when you eating the cup noodles and some people found this is an impolite behavior in the public. Firstly this product isn't generating enough values for the customers, Otohiko only reduced the sound by playing another sound to cover the slurping sound, which does not solve the actual problem. Secondly, Eating cup noodles is part of the culture, the people who largely consume the cup noodles may not mind or concern about the slurping sound. As this may also be the part of their culture. Which making the slurping noise is not a problem to those costumers. So they won't consume this product. The company's target consumers or market is very small. So this is simple minded.

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Jiawen Wang
2/2/2018 01:16:42 am

I agree that this product is simple minded, but I don't think it is a good product, maybe some Westerners will pay for this expensive "noise-cancelling" folk because they don't like slurping. Horever, I think Asian, especially Japanese won't buy this product, slurping when eating ramen means that ramen taste great and means respect to the chef, this is traditional Japanese culture. Ramen is a kind of Japanese food so we had to respect their culture. Also the price of that product is unreasonable, $130 is much more expensive than one ramen bowl. Maybe only crazy ramen lover will buy that for 130 dollar. So, The potential customer of this folk are less than they expect.

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Jeremiah Chandler
3/11/2018 11:52:36 pm

I believe that the product follows the simple-minded criteria. However, It should be considered ore mindful if it pleases the care for the customer, not the stake holder. Money drives stake-holders where as consumers are driven by much more than a profit. Therefore, the midnful meter should favor the societal values over those of stake-holders.
Regarding the product, it is extremely impractical. As mentioned, dirty forks are no fun to carry around let alone carrying around your own utensil in the first place. The idea behind the product shows a distinguishable level of mindfulness for Japan's western friends. They try to fix a divid between two different societies. For this, I applaud their efforts. However, I would be extremely surprised if they succeeded with this product.

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Josiah
5/1/2018 09:06:10 pm

That is very interesting, I didn't realize slurping was such a huge issue. in my opinion it is one of things one would but as a joke, an expensive one. I suppose it is a virtually untouched market, but I think there's a reason for that. It surely is a niche market that it appeals to, but I just don't think a noise cancelling fork is something with a big enough demographic for it to be a successful product.

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