Chick-for-Free
Sometimes when a well-known brand changes their product, the change isn’t always readily accepted. Consumers might be wary of the new offering and unwilling to try it out- which in turn can have a negative effect on sales. (Does the “New Coke” debacle of 1985 ring a bell?) How does a brand ensure that their consumers notice the new offering and give it a try? Just ask Chick-fil-A.
If you have been to Chick-fil-A recently, you may have noticed that their menu has changed. (Go to http://www.chickfila.com/#pressroom and click on “Chick-fil-A Menu Enhancements”) The most noticeable change is with their Chick-n-Strips. The “new” Chick-n-Strips are a little bit bigger and have a slightly different taste. In an effort to promote the new Chick-n-Strips, they have been running several promotions over the past couple of months. When the menu first changed, they were offering free 3-count Chick-n-Strips for one week from 5-8pm. Then a couple months later on Labor Day, they offered free Chick-n-Strips to anyone who came in wearing College or NFL Football apparel.
Their most exciting promotion, however, occurred last week. While I was waiting for the elevator in the lobby of my office building, two Chick-fil-A employees with a tray of Chick-n-Strips, sweet tea and balloons approached me and asked if I worked in the building. I said yes, thinking they needed directions to a particular office. Then they smiled and asked if I wanted free Chick-fil-A. Talk about being in the right place at the right time! They were out today promoting their new Chick-n-Strips and online ordering to the businesses in the local office park.
I’m sure that I would have eventually tried the new Chick-n-Strips on my own, but it might have taken a little while longer. My initial response would have probably been to order the familiar Chick-fil-A sandwich and wait to hear from other people if the new Chick-n-Strips were as good as the original ones. Thanks to Chick-fil-A’s strong promotional efforts, I have now had the opportunity to experience the new Chick-n-Strips several times and I know that I like them. I’ll probably order them the next time I’m there.
By: Jessica McGrail
No Free Lunch
The recent litigation between POM Wonderful and Purely Juice makes me question the correlation between marketing and nutrition labels.
According to Brandweek, Purely Juice claimed that one of its products was "100% pure pomegranate juice" and contained "no added sugar or sweeteners." Seven different labs showed found that the product contained trace amounts of pomegranate juice and a healthy dose of high-fructose corn syrup -- a fairly clear case of false advertising and misleading the consumer into believing the product is healthier than it actually is. But aren’t we as consumers surrounded by these “claims” every day? “Calorie-free” sodas can actually contain up to 5 calories per serving. A product with the word “light” on its package only has to have 1/3 fewer calories than the original, but we’re assuming that the original calories aren’t off the charts to begin with.
Working with many consumer companies, we’ve had to tread lightly on using words like “fresh” or “healthy” in product naming to avoid making false claims on what the product actually delivers. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect in your packaging versus your nutrition label:
Queen's Feast
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Beginning tomorrow, all of our Queen City readers will have the opportunity to “dine like royalty.” For $30 per person, you can enjoy a 3-course prix fixe dinner at some of Charlotte’s best restaurants. If you go here, you can check out the restaurants that are participating and see what menu options are being offered. I suggest checking out the menus before making your restaurant selection as some are definitely better than others.
Since I work at a naming firm, I also have to give kudos to the clever name that was given to Charlotte’s inaugural restaurant week: Queen’s Feast. Playing off of Charlotte’s nickname, the Queen City, the name Queen’s Feast provides ample opportunities to extend branding and promotional efforts directly from the name.
Don’t miss out on getting to eat at some of Charlotte’s best (and my favorite) restaurants at a fraction of the price! (Reservations Highly Recommended)
By: Rebecca Parker
Move over Rachael Ray; Farmer Jeb is the New Celeb
Working on a food related project and need fresh stimulus? Thinking of having a chef endorse your newest product? Check out Epicurious’ 2008 Food Predictions. Number one on the list: Farmers are the new celebrity chefs.
Also, check out the top 2008 flavor predictions on the same blog. Predictions were taken from McCormick seasonings and from Campbell’s. Poppy seed and rose anyone?
By: Laurie Scott