Sage Advice from Thanksgiving Experts
Social media, customer service calls and a whole lotta history told us that Plainville Farm’s fans rely on our client to answer their turkey questions during Thanksgiving and the rest of the year. When there’s a turkey on their table, they want to make sure it’s just plain awesome. So we thought, why not make it easy on them and create a central location where they could find out everything they want to know about cooking turkey. Of course, we didn’t stop there.
At this often stressful time of the year, we figured Plainville Farms could offer advice on everything having to do with the holiday table. From inspirational menus to how-to articles and recipes galore, we’ve created and assembled original content to make holiday time simpler and more delicious than ever before. Stop by Thanksgiving Central and you’ll find sage advice on everything from planning the party to creating leftover meals everyone will love.
Viral Marketing is Perfect for the Trader
Sporting a hand held and some admiration for wasabi peas and “apples packed in fours”, one random consumer has just launched a marketing campaign for TJ’s that won’t cost them a dime. A brilliant, low budget ad called “If I made a commercial for Trader Joe’s” is all over the place and people are loving it.
The truths embedded in these remarks are not only right-on, but they are much edgier than anything most traditional agencies would approve…In other words, funnier. So what’s a marketing agency to do? I say eat it up.
TJ’s was perfectly poised for this type of attention because of it’s quirky corporate identity. It’s just plain funny that they carry aged gouda for months, then when you start to rely on it, out of the blue it’s vanished–like it never existed. Is this a good thing? Not exactly, but they are not afraid doing it, because that’s who they are. It’s their identity. For better or worse–they own it. (Also you’ll probably end up liking the Fromage D’affinoise that replaces it on the shelf.)
The point is what makes any marketing, particularly the viral kind, catchy is the ability for consumers to relate to it. This video is brilliant because it focuses on all things TJ’s that, combined, make it our favorite place to shop. This could not have been done with a company ever struggling to find its point of view (Safeway take heed). TJ’s shoppers are members of a tribe, they are in the know and they know who they are. Now, can you say the same thing for yourself?
Rethinking Meat and Potatoes
Looks like there’s going to be a lot more potatoes and a lot less meat piled on those holiday plates this year. According to a Foodmarket News, in a speech to the Kansas Livestock Association Randy Blach, industry expert, reported the largest per capita decline in meat consumption since 1982. Bad news for them, means opportunity to others.
What I mean is, low cost, high nutrient content products rejoice… Now is your time to shine! Whole grains, beans, sweet potatoes, you know what I mean. American is primed and ready for recipes with your name on them. They simply can’t live on pasta and potatoes alone.
Develop family friendly entrees that take them though the tough times and catapult your product to comfort food status. Circulate them through point of sales materials or websites like Taste of Home. Remember, when the budget bounces back, comfort never looses its cache.