Over the years, packaged ramen noodles have proven easy to deride, earning status among many as a discomfort food, but difficult to resist, especially in the U.S. Being the massive consumers of the quick consumables that we Americans are, we can certainly appreciate efforts to enhance the renown that the goodies—a staple of every college diet—have acquired. So we here at Promo Markit fell in an instant for the branded merchandise that Nissin Foods has released to laud its Top Ramen and Cup Noodles lines.

Nissin Foods is hoping a line of branded merchandise can intensify consumers’ affinity for its ramen goods. | Credit: Ketchum

In doing so, we (and we are taking a semi-bold step here) have aligned ourselves with the young and hip crowd that the Japanese company is seeking to sate through the limited-time-only products. We have covered so many brands that have followed up their items’ commercial success with the release of coveted merchandise that we should have guessed that Nissin would be next, so maybe we are not as young as we had mentioned earlier. Regardless of our skills as a potential Nostradamus for the promotional products field, we appreciate the diversity that Nissin has imbued its merchandise with, and we certainly do not need anyone to spoon-feed us on their merit.

What really shines here, though, is the product selection—a masterclass in targeting a millennial audience through promotional merchandise. In addition to the usual T-shirts and mugs, there are embroidered snapback hats, ridiculous Cup Noodles costumes for people and dogs, a cleverly designed Top Ramen pillow and a giant Cup Noodles inflatable. And, in what may be the finest example, this neon sign:

Credit: Nissin Fan Store

It doesn’t get any more millennial than that.

We are never going to count ourselves among those who rail against instant ramen, so, putting aside our precept against bias, we are going to say we commend Nissan for making the latest entry into the branded merchandise universe, with its effort, according to Foodsided, representing another opportunity for it to please consumers in-the-know, particularly millennials. All of us here at Promo Markit do not fit into that cohort, but no matter our age, we would totally put our pups in the Cup Noodles Halloween costume and beam at him as we reach for another package of the pliable products that inspired the garb.

We also look forward to the subsequent goods that Nissin will release to celebrate their nod to noodles. If anyone from the company is reading this, please, please, please unveil ramen sneakers. With them on our feet and the noodles in our stomachs, we would never run on empty.