Now this is one cake that is pushing the envelope of good taste…pun intended.  It also is a psychologically interesting example of creativity.

toilet cake

In psychology there is the “Law of Similarity” which states either that “like causes like” (causes resemble their effects) or that “appearance equals reality.” There is also the “Law of Contagion” which posits that “once in contact, always in contact.”

Experiments have been conducted demonstrating that people will refuse to drink a desirable juice that has briefly been in contact with a sterilized, dead cockroach (law of contagion is at work here). Similarly, people are unwilling to eat desirable food shaped into a disgusting object (e.g., chocolate made to look like dog poo)(the law of similarity is at work here).

It isn’t too hard to guess people’s reaction to the cake in this picture. In fact, the tag line on the email I received with this picture was “Would you eat this cake?”

People cognitively understand that the cake is a real cake – something that is usually yummy – despite its appearance. However, this cognitive realization doesn’t prevent the reluctance to eat the cake.

I believe that this has clear implications for the creativity and innovation of this creation.
In terms of creativity, making a cake that resembles a toilet is creative – in part, because it violates taboo. Because few people violate taboos, the cake will be novel to most people. It is also artistically creative in the sense that some artists create art that causes people to feel something. Sometimes the “something” that artists cause people to feel is unpleasant or strong emotions. Serving this cake at a party and the resultant emotions that are induced as people try to decide whether or not to eat the cake could be said to satisfy this definition of artistic creativity.

However, it is very difficult to overcome the “Ewww” factor and even though people might admit to the creativity of the cake, I’m guessing it wouldn’t be a popular item at the local Krogers bakery or even at the more eclectic bakeries. If this is the case, then as an innovation, its chances of commercial success are iffy at best which prevents this cake from being truly innovative.  Why? Because creativity that does not result in at least a moderately commercially successful product isn’t perceived as innovative by the world of business. It is only creative.