Chiquita Brands The Solar Eclipse For Its Bananas

Switzerland-based multinational produce company Chiquita Brands International, the sometimes controversial successor to the even more controversial United Fruit Company, has decided that the crescent-shaped sliver of the sun many of us will observe during today's solar eclipse looks like a banana.

In ads in The New York Times and other newspapers and on a dedicated website, Chiquita announces the advent of "the banana sun." In fact, according to the ads, "On the path of totality, you will see two distinct banana suns" — one on each side of the sun as the moon moves across its face. The company adds a warning not to look too closely at the "bananas," adding that there's no Chiquita sticker on them anyway — though "We put one there with our imaginations."

Other companies seeking to capitalize on the eclipse include Volvo, which has designed a custom eclipse viewer that can be overlaid on the moonroof of its 2018 XC60; DoorDash, which is giving away free half-moon cookies from 2 to 4 p.m. today; and Frigidaire, which is offering a "blackout sale" through Aug. 23, with a 30 percent discount off its black stainless steel appliances. McDonald's and 7-Eleven are among the chains selling American Astronomical Society-approved viewing glasses for the event.