Elusiveness turns otherwise unremarkable products into cult favorites

Hundreds of people conduct an informal survey of which McDonald’s restaurants carry Shamrock Shakes, posting their reports on a Web page. Food bloggers count the days until the annual appearance of Kosher Coke – made with real sugar, not corn syrup – on grocery shelves in the Northeast. Curious customers back up traffic to greet the state’s first Sonic Drive-In after seeing the company’s commercials on ESPN for years.

Scarcity creates demand, turning otherwise unremarkable consumer products into cult favorites. Their elusiveness is one of their primary attractions.

“If you’re afraid you can’t get it in a couple of days, you want to get it now,” said Andy Aylesworth, a marketing professor at Bentley University. “I would bet that it’s really effective. Some people are running out to buy these things, and more and more companies are doing it.”

Some of these products are unavailable in many geographic markets. Many are sold each year for a short period of time. They may even be illegal in some jurisdictions.

Pepsi-Cola rolled out Pepsi Throwback and Mountain Dew Throwback – both made with sugar – for a pair of eight-week limited-time offers last spring and in the past two months.

“It was for nostalgia’s sake, to remind people what the products tasted like in the ’60s and ’70s,” Pepsi spokeswoman Nicole Bradley said.

Lack of proximity to a product can trigger cravings among consumers. Many East Coasters were fascinated with Coors beer in the 1970s, when it was only available west of the Mississippi.

“I remember some friends of my brother driving to Colorado to get Coors,” Aylesworth said. “That’s an amazing piece of brand loyalty there.”

Schlitz Classic 1960s formula

What’s the attraction? Pabst Brewing Co., which owns the Schlitz brand, revived the original recipe in 2007 and originally sold it in six-pack bottles. The more full-bodied version hearkens back to the 1960s, when Schlitz was one of the industry leaders in market share and its advertising slogan was “Go for the gusto.” Canned Schlitz still is only available in the more modern formula, although the company recently began a test-market in Milwaukee of the throwback formula in 16-ounce “Tall Boy” cans.

Krispy Kreme

What’s the attraction? Long lines snaked outside Krispy Kreme in Medford when the doughnut chain opened its first of four Massachusetts stores in 2003. Accounting errors, the low-carb scare and the lingering dominance of local icon Dunkin’ Donuts crushed the North Carolina chain’s New England expansion hopes. Today, the region’s lone remaining outlet is at the Mohegan Sun casino in Uncasville, Conn.

Coke with sugar

What’s the attraction? To satisfy Kosher dietary laws, this Coke is made with cane sugar rather than corn syrup. Fans say it has a brighter, crisper taste than regular Coke. Bottles are identified by a yellow cap and the words “Kosher for Passover” written in Hebrew on the label.

Shamrock Shake

What’s the attraction? Shamrock Shakes have the advantage of being doubly scarce: They’re only available for a few weeks in late winter each year, and only some McDonald’s restaurants offer them. A Web site, shamrockshakes.com, has user-submitted reports on which restaurants in each state offer the minty-green harbingers of spring.

Absinthe

What’s the attraction? The federal government approved the importation of this spirit in 2007 after a 95-year ban. The drink gained popularity in 19th-century France after being given to soldiers to treat malaria. Absinthe later became the favored tipple of tortured artistic types, including Oscar Wilde and Ernest Hemingway. It also gained notoriety for its supposed hallucinogenic properties, which have been attributed to the ingredient thujone.

Absinthe appeals to the same demographic as people who drink craft beers, said John Sano, wine buyer at Wollaston Wine & Spirits in Quincy. “At first it was a novelty, but now I’m seeing some steady buying,” Sano said.

Raw milk

What’s the attraction? Raw milk evangelists say it tastes better than its factory-produced counterpart and contains more nutrients.  Unpasteurized, unhomogenized cows’ milk is illegal in 22 states.

Haggis

What’s the attraction? Let Groundskeeper Willie from “The Simpsons” explain the essence of this Scottish specialty: “Chopped heart and lungs ... boiled in a real sheep’s stomach ... tastes as good as it sounds!”

Scottish haggis imports were banned in the U.S. in 1989 amid fears of a mad cow disease outbreak. But you can buy U.S.-produced haggis at British Imports in Plymouth. The food shop satisfies a steady demand for the offal concoction from people of Scottish descent or those planning Robert Burns Day parties celebrating the Jan. 25 birthday of Scotland’s national poet.

“They like to take a sword and slice the haggis,” British Imports owner Unity MacLean said. “It’s all very ceremonious.”

Some customers buy cans of haggis as Christmas stocking stuffers or novelty items, MacLean said.

Patriot Ledger writer Steve Adams may be reached at sadams@ledger.com.