Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Don't Mess with Snickers

There seems to be an increasingly fine line between marketing and just plain lying. Last night I experienced the marketing genius of saying that yogurt tastes like baked goods. Tonight it was the "new flavor kick" of the Snickers Adventure Bar. Released to go with the latest Indiana Jones movie, the description on the wrapper reads "Satisfy your taste for adventure! Rich chocolate. Crunchy nuts. And a cliffhanger kick of exotic spice and a hint of sweet coconut flavor."

What?

I took my first bite and it tasted like...well, like a Snickers. Maybe a little blander? I think it smelled a little like coconut, but that might have been the power of suggestion. Kick of exotic spice? Huh? I tried another bite, tried to concentrate. I got nothing. Either my taste buds were destroyed by yesterday's "Boston Cream Pie" or this is BS. Or maybe the "hint" of coconut was just too subtle. But Mars claimed a KICK of exotic spice - shouldn't I taste a "kick"?

The ingredients list doesn't mention coconut, and I don't think partially hydrogenated soybean oil is an exotic spice. Boo!!! Maybe the Naked Cowboy is right and Mars is just an evil corporation taking advantage of the poor little guy!

Nah - I just think this bar is lame. And why mess with Snickers anyway?

Here's the lesson - sometimes things are good just the way they are. The last thing a Snickers Bar needs is exotic spice. It is trendy? Yeah - go global! We are the world! But why try to be trendy when you are an icon? It just makes you look cheap (or desperate). Be yourself - it's what makes you great. Snickers don't need no stinkin' coconut! (And Almond Joy needs no caramel.) Be yourself and be the best YOU that you can. The world is full of imitators, we need more originals.

1 comment:

About Me said...

Oh I SO needed this blog today. When we seek new clients and business opportunities, it's easy to lose sight of what got us to where we are in the first place. Usually that was just "being ourselves." All the gimmicks and fancy words mean nothing if you can't stick to what made you special when the whole venture started.