As families seek cut back on their food spending these days, it isn't only Whole Foods changing their marketing strategy and seeking to stress what values can be found amongst their products. As generic private-label brands begin to cut into the profits of Kraft and their ilk at the supermarket, the usual suspects are getting back in the game -
While the food companies, like other large advertisers, pulled back on their spending as the economy soured, many big foodmakers plan advertising punches in the coming months. The shift comes as consumers worried about rising costs eat at home more and shop with budgets in mind - a trend that's leading many of them to generics, or private-label brands.
So while automakers may be less apt to advertise right now - SUV, anyone? - food companies say they are jumping back in the game. If they want to keep selling their own brands, they've got to keep them in the minds of shoppers.
From Sara Lee Corp.'s new ad campaign with The Walt Disney Co.'s "High School Musical 3: Senior Year" to Kraft's new pizza commercials preaching "DiGiornonomics," consumers should expect to be blitzed by food advertisements in the next year.
This is interesting to me, because I never even noticed that they had cut down on advertising. It's everywhere I look, and seems just as ubiquitous as it's always been. But I guess we're in for even more saturation now.
It's also a clear desperation move...and these companies certainly aren't known for their ethical marketing tactics and practices, especially when they perceive themselves as having their backs up against the wall. I'd say based upon past performance, it's a pretty safe bet that a significant portion of these new ads are going to be aimed at children; or aimed at mothers (it's always mothers, isn't it? "Hey mom, you're too busy to cook...but now you can feed the kids our cheap corn-based chemical crap right out of the box in seconds!"...) and stressing "convenience" and "value".
A brief look at a few of these campaigns below the fold, and a suggestion or two of my own... |
Ah, more food company and Disney cross-promotions -
Starting in September, a multimillion dollar campaign will link Sara Lee's Soft & Smooth bread - which has sales of more than $200 million a year - with Disney's popular "High School Musical" enterprise, said Tim Zimmer, vice president of Sara Lee Fresh Bakery.
TV spots will feature characters such as Chad Danforth, played by Corbin Bleu, and Taylor McKessie, played by Monique Coleman. The campaign includes a sweepstakes to win a screening of the new "High School Musical" movie with Bleu, and promotions on 40 million bread packages and in 15,000 in-store displays. An Internet component allows people [ed note: what 'people' would those be? Kids, maybe?] to look up the characters' "favorite recipes" such as Taylor's "Sweet as Honey" peanut butter sandwich.
Now maybe it's just me, but I don't think anything should be 'advertised' to children. Ever. And I'd feel that same way even if they were promoting fresh local produce. Advertising isn't just gentle persuasion when it's being aimed at those who haven't yet developed the ability to understand what it even is. It's deception at that point, plain and simple - and one of the most shameful aspects of our culture is how we allow corporations to continually con and deceive our children into becoming mindless automatonic consumers of whatever product the creators of their favorite cartoon characters and producers of their favorite television shows just happen to sell their souls to at any given time. What is wrong with us that we can't just let kids be kids during their developmental stages - and let them develop their own views, ideas and preferences rather than having "brand loyalty" forcefully shoved down their throat from almost the minute they open their eyes?
The "DiGiornonomics" message to customers is all about the bottom line. Two pizzas, full of toppings, sit side by side as an odometer ticks away until it reaches their prices. The DiGiorno pizza costs $6.69, while the delivery one is $16.13.
It's easy for them to pick on the price of a delivery pizza for compariosn, but I'd say it's worth looking a bit further into the "DiGiornonomics" theory; and seeing how well a miserable little $6.69 frozen pizza made up of industrial chemicals measures up to healthy homecooked meals made up of fresh whole foods. Because I'm thinking that, just to name a few examples - not only would a pepper stuffed with some brown rice and mushrooms; or some fresh pasta drizzled with a bit of olive oil or maybe a homemade cream sauce; or an omelet with fresh veggies and wilted greens absolutely score off the "DiGiornonomic" charts in terms of taste, health, sustainability and countless other measures...but would also beat out their "pizza" on price (or "value"), as well. $6.69 for a frozen disk of fossil fuels? No, thanks...
Hormel Foods Corp. is likewise planning a boost and is expanding the number of brands it advertises, including a campaign around Dinty Moore stews, said Jeffrey M. Ettinger, president and chief executive. The Austin, Minn.-based company, also known for Spam, is running print ads for Dinty Moore drawing on themes of men and outdoor activities. The brand saw sales up at least 20 percent in the most recent quarter.
Grrr!!! (beating chest...)
Dinty Moore make me man!
I keep laughing at that line - "running print ads for Dinty Moore drawing on themes of men and outdoor activities." I'm eagerly anticipating their next new products - 'John Wayne Juice', and maybe 'Clint Eastwood Crackers'... |
