Unbelievable! This Is Not Butter!

Everyone has heard of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!, the margarine spread with the memorably comical name. While there are many butter substitutes gracing our grocery store shelves (oh yes, how they make my stomach juices flow), I assumed that this was the only product that used the word "butter" to market its superiority over other butter substitutes through its fascinating ability to be mistaken for real butter.

But my world of fake butter (population: 1) was turned upside-down when I read Elyse Sewell's livejournal entry documenting curious products from her local supermarket, including two more I Can't Believe It's Not Butter!-like products: Butter It's Not! and Could It Be Butter? I found these names just as amusing as I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, possibly more so, but googling their names showed that the Internet didn't really give a damn about these other products. While I Can't Believe It's Not Butter returned 95,100 results, Butter It's Not returned 1,760 results and Could It Be Butter? brought up the rear with a paltry 186 results.

I came across a few other fake butter products with peculiar names. Check out the full gallery after the jump.

Photograph taken by Elyse Sewell

Butter It's Not!: As scottbateman said, "By Yoda was named."

Photograph taken by Elyse Sewell

Could it be Butter?: I imagine a misguided consumer saying this name in a hopeful tone: "Could it be butter? Oh please, for the love of God, could it be?..." and then falling into a heap of disappointment when they realize it's not butter.

Photograph taken by prettyandhigh

What, not butter!: Shouldn't this be a question!

Photograph from Wm Jas on Flickr

Unbelieveable This is not butter: Although this product is from Taiwan, I think with a few additional exclamation marks and more appealing packaging this name could catch on in the US.

Image from FoodFacts.com

Move Over Butter: It's so good, it drives farmers to sing with their cows. If that's what you're looking for.

I came across a few other names for fake butter products—Is It Really Butter? ("Nope, fooled ya!") and Too Good To Be Butter ("Doubtful!")—but I have no visual evidence to back this up. If you've ever seen these products or have other names to toss into the ring, please let me know.

Updated: 11/24/07

Photograph taken by Raphaël Brion

Taste Like Butter: I first read this as "Tastes Like Butter." I'd think most people would if they have a few grammar lessons under their belts.

However, it's "Taste," not "Tastes." As Raphaël pointed out, "'Taste Like Butter' isn't even correct English!"

But I can think of at least one situation where it could be correct: if it were a command. "FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, TASTE LIKE BUTTER"

Updated: 11/25/07

Photograph from erloteiel on Flickr

You'd Think It's Butter!: Notice the typography on this product from H-E-B, a Texas-based grocery store chain; the words "Think" and "Butter" are bolded. Perhaps they want me to...think butter? Yet how come every time I read the name I just want to attach, "But It's Not!" to the end of it?

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