I love cereal. I eat it almost every morning. With 2% milk. Anything less and it doesn't do the cereal justice. While finishing up a bag of my Malt-O-Meal mini wheats I couldn't help but notice about a quarter of the bag was useless shreds of wheat. It seemed like an awful lot of cereal gone to waste. The delicious 50/50 squares gone forever, leaving behind the remains of their fallen comrades. Then I began to wonder, what percentage of the bag remains wholly in tact? How do my beloved mini wheats compare with other cereals? I drew a graph.
Rice Krispies topped the list, they also happen to be one of my favorite cereals.
Marketing messages have a lot in common with cereal.
- 1. Some travel better than others
- 2. Presentation affects desirability
- 3. More volume does not mean more useful
I'm sure you can think of companies that have fallen into one of these traps. Their name doesn't translate well into another language, culture, or subgroup. Their terminology is understood internally, but confuses outsiders. Packaging misrepresents the quality of their product. Money and hours are thrown at a problem instead of utilizing existing resources. Their marketing resembles the bottom of the shredded wheat bag.
On the other hand those who communicate well, look good, and make the most of what they have, succeed. Consistent, attractive, and palatable win every time.