Sunday, July 24, 2011

Old Brands Are Using Twitter and Facebook to Revive Their Brands


                As I explained in a prior blog post, the evolution to a shorter attention span requires trademark owners to change their marketing strategy.  One such trademark owner, Kraft Foods, Inc. has now tried to use Twitter and Facebook to revive its Miracle Whip and Macaroni & Cheese marks.  Such a marketing strategy is not revolutionary by any means.  However, some of their marketing techniques are creative.
                For example, Kraft has encouraged discussions about the virtues of its Miracle Whip in online forums.  It has given out free Macaroni & Cheese via a Twitter contest.  It also plans to air ads for a contest wherein divorcing couples may win money for their split, if their split, is in part the result of their differences over Miracle Whip.  Apparently, Kraft was inspired by Twitter posts about how couples broke up over their differences over Miracle Whip.  Yes, folks, if you did not know, companies monitor Twitter and Facebook posts. 
                Typically, Kraft's ads revolved around moms making lunch for kids or dads demonstrating how to dunk Oreo cookies.   Now, Kraft looks to appeal to the younger generation.  For example, Kraft uses a grandmother in a commercial for its hummus brand (Athenos) who insults a party hostess by claiming she looks like a prostitute.  The same grandmother also insults a co-habitating, unmarried couple by saying that they will be going to hell.  While it appears this grandmother in the ad does not like many things, the ads make clear that the grandmother really likes Athenos brand products.  As a result of these ads, the grandmother now has over 150,000 Facebook friends. 
                These ads appear to be working.  Sales for Kraft's Macaroni and Cheese rose 10% and investors seem more willing to invest in the once-stodgy brand.  Stay tuned, Kraft plans more commercials and contests to increase their brand presence with the younger consumers. 

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