Recently, while on vacation at the beach, we bought some “quickie” food items. One of which was a new product by Oreos. Or should I say, yet another new product by Oreo. This one is called “Cakesters” and, like the name implies, it is less hard “cookie” and more soft “cake,” still with the ubiquitous cream spread in the middle.
I was then reminded of a column I wrote in this space a couple of years ago, worth repeating here (while snacking on one of those Cakesters…):
Welcome to another edition of Not Your Usual Marketing Tips from JDK Marketing Communications Management.
I was in the grocery store the other day and noticed the Oreo cookies. Only it wasn’t “just” Oreo cookies.
Sure, there were the “original” Oreo cookies that we all know and love. But, in separate packaging, there was also: Oreo Double-Stuf; Reduced Fat Oreo; Mint n’ Crème Oreo; Mini Oreo; Chocolate Crème Oreo -- whew, let me catch my breath here -- Golden Oreo Original; Fudge Covered Oreo; Fudge Mint Covered Oreo; Golden Oreo Chocolate Crème; Oreo Thin Crisps; and, not to be outdone, Double Delight Oreo Peanut Butter & Chocolate.
Now why would arguably this nation’s most popular cookie product come up with 12 different variations on an otherwise successful approach?
Because they want to either answer demand, or anticipate demand. Because they don’t want to get into a marketplace rut. Because they want to “keep things fresh.” Because they want to challenge themselves. Because they want to stay ahead of the cookie curve. Because with each new product introduction, they become top of mind. Again.
Or, maybe because they just want to stay (way) ahead of Hydrox, the “other” sandwich cookie…which, interestingly enough, was the FIRST “sandwich cookie with a cream filling” to be introduced to a sweet-toothed American public. Yet look what Oreo did to put Hydrox virtually out of our collective conscience.
The parallel to be drawn here presumes to ask the question, what are you doing to “diversify” yourself? Nothing wrong with staying just as you are. “Stick with whomever brought you to the dance,” goes the old saying. But in these volatile times of strong and plentiful competition for what we do for a living, it may behoove us to reach into the old tool box, metaphorically speaking, and see what else we can do to add to our equipment as we build upon our own “product.”
(For example, among the newer “products” at JDK Marketing Communications Management is) a service to help adoption parents create profiles on themselves. This is to help promote their eligibility as parents-to-be to the original birth mother in order for her to decide which family she would select to ultimately parent her child. It’s a fascinating, and touching, process that few people outside of adoption circles know about. I certainly didn’t until recently when a friend of mine in the industry was thoughtful enough to “clue me in.” (Helene Nathanson heads) a home study agency, created to help North Carolina families with pre- and post-adoption requirements:
( http://nathansonadopt.com/ )
And now it’s another way for JDK Marketing Communications to keep our fingers in an ever-growing pie. Or another cookie variation, if you will.
Joel Kweskin
I was then reminded of a column I wrote in this space a couple of years ago, worth repeating here (while snacking on one of those Cakesters…):
Welcome to another edition of Not Your Usual Marketing Tips from JDK Marketing Communications Management.
I was in the grocery store the other day and noticed the Oreo cookies. Only it wasn’t “just” Oreo cookies.
Sure, there were the “original” Oreo cookies that we all know and love. But, in separate packaging, there was also: Oreo Double-Stuf; Reduced Fat Oreo; Mint n’ Crème Oreo; Mini Oreo; Chocolate Crème Oreo -- whew, let me catch my breath here -- Golden Oreo Original; Fudge Covered Oreo; Fudge Mint Covered Oreo; Golden Oreo Chocolate Crème; Oreo Thin Crisps; and, not to be outdone, Double Delight Oreo Peanut Butter & Chocolate.
Now why would arguably this nation’s most popular cookie product come up with 12 different variations on an otherwise successful approach?
Because they want to either answer demand, or anticipate demand. Because they don’t want to get into a marketplace rut. Because they want to “keep things fresh.” Because they want to challenge themselves. Because they want to stay ahead of the cookie curve. Because with each new product introduction, they become top of mind. Again.
Or, maybe because they just want to stay (way) ahead of Hydrox, the “other” sandwich cookie…which, interestingly enough, was the FIRST “sandwich cookie with a cream filling” to be introduced to a sweet-toothed American public. Yet look what Oreo did to put Hydrox virtually out of our collective conscience.
The parallel to be drawn here presumes to ask the question, what are you doing to “diversify” yourself? Nothing wrong with staying just as you are. “Stick with whomever brought you to the dance,” goes the old saying. But in these volatile times of strong and plentiful competition for what we do for a living, it may behoove us to reach into the old tool box, metaphorically speaking, and see what else we can do to add to our equipment as we build upon our own “product.”
(For example, among the newer “products” at JDK Marketing Communications Management is) a service to help adoption parents create profiles on themselves. This is to help promote their eligibility as parents-to-be to the original birth mother in order for her to decide which family she would select to ultimately parent her child. It’s a fascinating, and touching, process that few people outside of adoption circles know about. I certainly didn’t until recently when a friend of mine in the industry was thoughtful enough to “clue me in.” (Helene Nathanson heads) a home study agency, created to help North Carolina families with pre- and post-adoption requirements:
( http://nathansonadopt.com/ )
And now it’s another way for JDK Marketing Communications to keep our fingers in an ever-growing pie. Or another cookie variation, if you will.
Joel Kweskin
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