Chicken Soup
April 18th, 2008
This week, I have a cold. Wednesday it got bad enough that I decided I’d go ahead and stay home for the day. I spent the whole day in a medicine-head haze snuggling with my cat and watching Scrubs DVDs (in between feverish naps). Now, I have seen every season of Scrubs multiple times. But when I’m sick, I don’t want to concentrate on something new. I want something familiar that I know will make me happy. I want chicken soup (though this is metaphor chicken soup… because I’m a vegetarian).
So this occurred to me: I don’t think that brands need to spend quite so much time with all the glitz and gimmicks and “pay attention to me!” of campaigns and promotions… always trying to reinvent themselves to be bigger, better, newer, shinier. It may not be the most exciting thing, but comfort food is something that fills a real need and creates real loyalty. It’s a relationship that comes right from the core - from basic need and a basic bond. Whether it’s literal comfort food like ramen and cookies, or entertainment comfort food like Scrubs and Buffy (wow… you just learning way too much about me today), it’s a relationship that I will repeat and revisit and rely on over and over again. A relationship or a purchase or an experience (or a TV show) or a brand doesn’t have to be brand new or shiny or gimmicky to be worth my time (I’m talking to you, reality TV). It has to be who it is and it has to be an experience I can rely on. Like a purring kitty and Zach Braff and Ramen noodles. Comfort food isn’t the most exciting label, but it’s one that, if you earn it, you should wear with pride.
Other posts by Jennifer.
Justin Foster says:
Funny - I was just thinking the same sort of thing the other day! Of how many thousands of hours are spent on trying to “sexy up” brands that are by their nature “comfort brands”. I wonder how much of this bigger/better/shinier effort is truly a branding strategy - or just just bored product managers and marketing execs. Of course, if they want to do something truly different with the mundane, turn the marketing over the audience.
April 18th, 2008 at 7:56 pmChristy says:
I agree. How many times have we snickered at the bottle of fabric softener proclaiming, “New & Improved Look!” (with the ampersand and the exclamation ponit!)
What? Why do I care what the bottle looks like?? As long as you don’t change the fabric softener inside.
And I’m reminded of Coca Cola, sorry…
But, I’m also thinking of all the times I walk through a place like Mast General Store and buy the candy I used to as a kid, just because they are still smart enough to carry it. And the candy manufacturer is still smart enough to make it.
Pop Rocks, anyone??
Glad to see you’re feeling better, Jen!
April 21st, 2008 at 4:44 am