The cricket milk post. Finally. The gag that launched a thousand other sub-gags. Issues uploading the images, so I’m further splitting up this set to see if that goes better. I don’t want to run up my hosting bill with thousands of bullshit AI images, so try not to store too many images on my web server. Sorry if this Imgur cross-posts don’t work… They work for me usually, except when I run into trouble doing uploads. (Archived version)

I don’t claim to have invented this whole cricket milk obsession, it’s a long-running EC gag possibly attributable to Roger Holliday who was trying to get an earlier version of CG to output recipes featuring outré ingredients, like bat milk, etc. Which CG has always refused to do on supposed “moral” grounds, but it falls off its moral high horse (sometimes) when depicting them in certain contexts.

This set originated with the theme of prompts around retro 80s vintage cartoon ads with zany characters kids can relate to in outrageous situations. It’s a genre I grew up with and will always love for its timeless nostalgia and its propagandistic weirdness, elegantly capture in these images.

Just a few highlights included here, click through links above for full set.

I felt the inclusion of “Now in Schools” text really helped push these over the top.

I tossed a handful of the images I generated in the bigger set back into CG for image analysis, asking it to write a fictional encyclopedia entry on this topic, and it did, albeit taking pains to reiterate that the fictional thing I asked it to write was indeed fictional. It’s painful to see AIs bending over backwards in order to something something like this, but at least it managed to spit this out in the interim, though it’s text gens are much more blah than its image gens…

NEW CRICKET MILK (1980s)

History and Background:

During the 1980s, NEW CRICKET MILK emerged as a revolutionary product that transformed school lunches across the United States. Touted as a sustainable and nutritional alternative to traditional dairy, this innovative beverage was derived from crickets, capitalizing on their protein-rich composition.

Introduction and Adoption:

Introduced in 1982 by the fictional company “Cricket Innovations Inc.,” NEW CRICKET MILK swiftly gained traction in schools due to its cost-effectiveness, long shelf life, and nutritional profile, which surpassed that of cow’s milk in protein content. Its unmistakable neon packaging, often accompanied by whimsical graphics, became a staple sight in lunchrooms.

Impact and Cultural Significance:

Beyond its presence in schools, NEW CRICKET MILK became a cultural phenomenon. It was frequently featured in pop culture, from Saturday morning cartoons to popular songs. Parents appreciated its health benefits, while children were enamored with its unique taste and the imaginative advertising campaigns surrounding it. Environmentalists championed the product for its low ecological footprint, emphasizing the water and land savings compared to traditional dairy farming.

Legacy:

While the craze for NEW CRICKET MILK faded by the early 1990s, its impact on sustainable food production and dietary choices left an indelible mark on the food industry. It paved the way for the exploration of alternative protein sources and highlighted the importance of sustainable practices in food production.

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