"Snackrifice"
Thought Subway's new "Fauxbesity" lingo sounded strange? Check out another coined word that is gracing the pages of our magazine advertisements. In response to looming economic concerns, Kraft has teamed up with other snack food vendors to put the hungry tummy at ease. These powerhouse snack sellers have created a line of combination snacks in order to satisfy your cravings without leaving a huge dent in your wallet. While advertising these products, Kraft has used the increasingly popular tactic of coining a brand new word in order to define a common scenario facing many consumers today. Thus, the introduction of a "snackrifice" (www.whysnackrifice.com).
Kraft's introduction of "tasty snack combinations" begs this question of consumers: "why snackrifice?" They want to know why you would give up snack time when "you can have a delicious snack for about a dollar." These and many other companies are very aware of how consumers are consciously cutting back on going out to eat and spending money on unnecessary products. They have planned marketing campaigns that highlight the benefits and convenience of packaged goods, and demonstrate how snacks can still fit into your budget. The Kraft Snackrifice campaign, and many others, have appealed to consumers by promising more bang for your buck.
Snack on.
Contributed by Carrie Friedrich
Fauxbesity
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Even dictionary.com is becoming outdated. With our new fast paced, technologically inclined society, it seems like we don't even have time to blink before it's time to update again. In order to "keep up with the times" many companies are introducing their own novelities. For fear of sounding cliche, some companies have opted to simply create new words in order to differentiate themselves. Millions of products and services clutter our marketplace, so how do we stand out? Ingenuity. Marketers and Advertisers today want to tell you something different, something that you don't already know. So they are going to coin a new phrase or define a new word to do it. That is sure to grab consumer attention...right?
Fauxbesity, a new word splashed across the pages of magazine advertisements, utterly baffles dictionary.com and my trusty old Merriam-Webster pocket dictionary. Perusing through Martha Stewart Living Magazine, this fancy little word jumped off the page, begging me to read on. Well done Subway, you caught my eye!
Subway defines Fauxbesity as a noun meaning the "half-hearted claims other fast food chains make about helping kids eat better." It seems that so many companies have tried to say the same thing in an innumerable amount of different ways. Enough is enough, there are only so many different variations available to be fought over. So Subway decided to leave the clutter behind and reinvent the health food arena with this catchy little new word.
In my personal opinion, I think this innovative word creation is a great idea for market differentiation. Let's face it, we are always growing and expanding, looking for bigger and better ways to stand out. Why not spice things up a bit? If it works, and people connect with your new "creation," I say go for it! Carry on fauxbesity!
Contributed by Carrie Friedrich
Fast Food Fads
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I am going to go head and admit to the world that I eat fast food on a regular basis. My meals quite frequently consist of the following keywords: Double cheese, Nuggets, Soft taco, Crispy Chicken, and 6 inch turkey on wheat (when I’m feeling conservative). I’ve brought a salad to work for lunch. But make no mistake; the salad is just a façade. A feeble attempt to fit in with some of my health conscious colleagues. But I am not ashamed anymore. I love processed foods, ketchup, and sesame seed buns.
I consider myself to be somewhat of a connoisseur to the fast food/delivery food industry. I’ve witnessed several trends that have swept across my favorite fast food brands.
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Branding on a Budget
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With the economy slowing, many consumer brands are feeling the pressure to keep customers spending, which means better deals for us! Listed below are just a few brands that are attempting to leverage the recent economic crisis.
TARGET:
Target’s new TV ad campaign focuses on a more cost friendly approach to everyday life. The do-it-yourself spirit of the ad empowers customers to think about their everyday life differently. For example, riding a bike to work rather than worrying about expensive gas, cutting your children’s hair rather than taking them to the barbershop every 3 weeks and exercising at home rather than paying a costly gym membership. The ads encourage me to think about the necessities in my life and how I can find ways to simplify and reduce my spending.
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