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One of the things that I experienced during my 30+ years in the marketing business what the propensity for advertisers—especially retailers—to want to change their marketing messages (and often their brand positioning) too often. Usually it was because the company got tired of the message long before the customer even became totally aware of it. We live and die with the process of presentations, revisions, edits, production, edits, testing, edits, and reviews to the point that we get tired of the message before it has a chance to resonate with our customers. Granted we must constantly review our marketing efforts and evaluate the results, but sometimes it is more prudent to stick with what’s working and focus on the key strengths of the brand to make sure that our customers really know what we stand for. Which brings me to the subject of mayonnaise.
This year marks the centennial of one of the strongest brands in CPG—Hellmann’s Mayonnaise and the company’s marketing is celebrating with an effective campaign that sticks with what has made this the number one brand in the category for most of those 100 years. Hellmann’s is the top-selling mayo since Richard Hellmann started selling it in New York a century ago. Keeping the same product formula—and branding formula—throughout the years, the company has stuck with its “bring out the best” theme for the past 25 years. It’s parent, Unilever, has maintained the same recipe for success from its French roots and continues to insure that it has stayed with Richard’s wife’s version of the original recipe while constantly and consistently showing how mayo makes almost everything taste the best.
However, the mayo has not gone stale. Hellman’s has a cutting edge promotional plan to celebrate the first 100 years with aggressive TV and print complemented by digital ads, a Facebook page, YouTube videos featuring chef Mario Batali and a smart phone app with 30 of Batali’s favorite recipes using Hellman’s mayo. It all spreads on the success that has given the brand a 31.1% share of the $1.87 Billion mayonnaise market. Being first in the market isn’t the only advantage to the Hellman’s brand, it continues to build on its heritage and taste with a brand strategy that is consistent, aggressive and on target.
Great brands don’t have to change or stray from their roots. Like Hellman’s, brand such as Tabasco, Rolex, Ben & Jerry’s, Nordstrom’s and others have found that staying with what got them there is a great brand strategy.
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT AMAZON AND KINDLE FOR “Brain Branding—Activate the Brain, Stimulate Your Brand” by Ken Banks and Robyn Winters. A new way to look at growing your brand—even if it’s been around for a 100 years!
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