| Marketing Lessons From America's Most Famous | | | | number of different owners before the product really |
| Dessert | | | | started to take off. What does that say about the |
| Much of the success in your business will undoubtedly | | | | thinking that it's all about the product? Just because |
| come from how well your market yourself, your | | | | you have a million dollar idea doesn't mean you'll be a |
| company or product. A good marketing campaign can | | | | millionaire. What you need is a million dollar idea with |
| be the difference between a business that fails and a | | | | solid marketing to back it up. How would you like your |
| business that flourishes. Have you ever seen a | | | | business to be so successful, you actually had to stop |
| business on the verge of bankruptcy and closure get | | | | advertising to slow things down? With the right |
| taken over by a new owner who takes the company | | | | marketing, it's entirely possible. |
| in a new direction? More often then not it's the | | | | So what else can we learn from Jell-O? The first thing |
| business sense and skills of the new owner that | | | | that really sticks out is creating the catch line America's |
| change a company's fortune's. | | | | Most Famous Dessert...before anyone really even |
| Take Jell-O for example. Although an instant gelatin | | | | knew who they were. This is great example of |
| and pudding product seems like a no brainer now, the | | | | establishing yourself as an expert and market leader in |
| company wasn't always having the success it now | | | | your field. Is there any reason you couldn't call yourself |
| enjoys. | | | | your local city's most famous company in your field? If |
| In 1845 a man named Peter Cooper was granted a | | | | you owned a pizza place, could you gain more |
| patent for a powdered gelatin. Over the next 40 years | | | | business and compete with the big franchises by |
| not much was done with this product, and the business | | | | establishing your business as the city's most famous |
| was eventually sold to Pearle B. Waite, who also | | | | place to get pizza? If you made a good pizza, had |
| owned a cough syrup manufacturing company. The | | | | excellent customer service, and did some things out of |
| new owner and his wife then added many new | | | | the ordinary to gain attention I bet you could. |
| flavors to the line up (some of which are still around | | | | The next thing that really stands out is using celebrity |
| today) and even gave the product the famous name it | | | | testimonials. Now you may think you need deep |
| goes by now... the only problem is they aren't the ones | | | | pockets to have a celebrity promote your business or |
| who made the name famous. | | | | product, but this is far from the truth. Instead of thinking |
| Rather, in 1899 after not being able to successfully | | | | big and hiring actors or sports stars to promote for |
| market their product, they sold the business to a man | | | | you, you could use a local celebrity. Is there a certain |
| named Otator Francis Woodward for $450. In 1902 | | | | radio personality or any other well known person from |
| Woodward's company started placing advertisement's | | | | your community that frequents your business? Have |
| in the Ladies' Home Journal. What really made the | | | | you ever thought about asking them if they would give |
| product a success was that in these advertisement | | | | you a testimonial that could use in your advertising? |
| Woodward touted Jell-O as "America's Most Famous | | | | You might be surprised on who you could find that |
| Dessert" even though at that point it was still relatively | | | | would help. |
| unheard of. In 1927 after a merger and acquisition the | | | | The last thing that stands out is being name an official |
| company became known as The General Foods | | | | state snack, how's that for free publicity? Now, I realize |
| Corporation. | | | | becoming the official state snack might not be what |
| As the company grew, it added new flavor and | | | | you have in mind for your business, but there are |
| expanded into Canada. Around this point in time the | | | | many other ways you can generate free publicity. |
| company started using celebrity testimonials and even | | | | Let's use the example of the pizza place again. What |
| included recipes in their advertisements. By now the | | | | if one day you decided to make pizza for the kids at a |
| brand was enormously popular and always looking to | | | | local elementary, middle or high school? Would they |
| expand the company released a chocolate flavored | | | | not tell their parents about it? If they liked it, wouldn't |
| instant pudding. | | | | they may of them, and their families come back as |
| The company again used celebrity sponsorship, using | | | | new customers? What if the radio/newspaper/tv |
| Jack Benny (one of the biggest celebrities at the time) | | | | covered this story. Wouldn't it create a great image for |
| to promote this new product. The Jell-O Show Starring | | | | your business? And how many people who hear |
| Jack Benny was working so well to sell Jell-O | | | | about this story do you think would come in to see this |
| products that General Foods could not make Jell-O | | | | great business for themselves and try this famous |
| fast enough to keep up with the demand due to sugar | | | | pizza? |
| shortages during World War II. | | | | This is only one small example of what is possible. |
| The company actually had to stop advertising to try | | | | There are many things you can do to generate free |
| slow sales down. The company continued to thrive | | | | publicity and interest in your business. The key is to get |
| after the war and continued to grow well into the | | | | creative. What can yo do that your competitors don't |
| 1970s and in 1974 the company sponsored Bill Cosby | | | | that would be so different people couldn't help but talk |
| as their pudding spokesperson. Over the course of the | | | | about you? What you can do to be different? How |
| next 30 years Cosby became the voice of the | | | | you can establish yourself as famous? Which |
| company introducing many popular new products and | | | | "celebrities" do you know that would promote your |
| in 2001 Jell-O was named the official state snack of | | | | business for you or provide a great testimonial? |
| Utah with the Governor declaring an annual Jell-O | | | | Sit down think about it long and hard about this, and |
| week. | | | | come up with a solid plan for separating yourself from |
| Now how does this apply to your business? Well like I | | | | the pack. And once you're done, go out and put your |
| said before, sometimes the difference between a | | | | plan into action and enjoy the fruits of your labor with |
| business flourishing and a business floundering is the | | | | all the new customers and buzz about your business |
| marketing. Jell-O is a perfect example of this. | | | | you generate. |
| As you read in the article it took over 50 years and a | | | | |