Norwegian food producer Mills has turned to super-slow TV to market and promote its classic Mills Kaviar, which comes in a tube and is popular on many Norwegian breakfast and lunch tables. Its slow-TV pitch, which will follow the 11-month process of preparing and maturing the caviar for consumption, seems to be working.
Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported Sunday that several international media outlets have picked up the company’s press release sent out earlier this month, in which Mills describes how it is filming the caviar process. It candidly admitted that much of the process occurs while the cod roe used in its salty spreads is simply sitting in vats, prompting one Danish website to call the super-slow TV project now streaming on Mills’ website (external link) “the world’s most boring TV program so far.”
Mills insists that its primary aim is to share the Norwegian caviar tradition with the rest of the world, and show how the production process is much more time-consuming than many realize. Norwegians aren’t the only ones fond of caviar out of a tube. The Swedes also have a popular brand, called Kalles Original, that’s every bit a part of their breakfast traditions.
A Mills spokesman told NRK that the show likely won’t “alter the impression that Norwegians are a slightly strange people.” While some may think it’s unusual to squirt caviar out of a tube and onto a sliced hard-boiled eggs on bread, Mills said it’s surprised so many people are taking time to watch their slow TV and an accompanying trailer, which had received half-a-million hits during the first week following its release.
newsinenglish.no staff
