Made With Real Chocolate Chips?

I opened a package of store brand cookies the other day and that’s what was written on the package – “Made With Real Chocolate Chips!” I reflected on the crazy thinking behind this marketing plan for a long time. I finally decided this store brand would never be anything more than a store brand because of this approach.

You see, I assumed when I bought the package of cookies that they were made with real chocolate chips. In fact, I’d only expect a bold notification if they were made with anything else. I even wonder what else you could use to make chocolate chip cookies?? So why do I conclude that this is such poor marketing? Because of the expectation of the consumer it conveys.

Placing a label like “made with real chocolate chips” on the package basically says, “We know you think we’re the cheap, inedible store brand… we bet you don’t think we’re good enough to use actual food products, so we’re going on the defensive to let you know otherwise.” After reading the label, my expectations were actually lowered.

What does this mean for the average business, church, web site, etc.? It means that you’re to consider yourself top brand and the only time you should communicate with your consumers about your ingredients is to highlight the awesomeness that sets you apart from the crowd.

If you sell cars, don’t advertise that they “actually run…” If you’re a church, don’t promote the fact that you’re “friendly…” (Every church thinks this, even when it isn’t true.) If you’re selling your house, don’t say “located in a nice neighborhood.” People already have these down in their minds as minimum expectations, or else they wouldn’t be shopping for your product, service, etc.

What then, do you highlight with a shiny button graphic? Whatever sets you apart from the crowd! Whatever goes beyond the consumer’s expectations. When I bought my Toyota pickup, the salesman didn’t tell me it had a body and an engine – he pointed out that it has 13 cup holders.

Find out what sets you apart and promote it! By the way… in spite of the crumby marketing plan (no pun intended), I bought the cookies, which merely proves that even mediocrity sells sometimes. And they were pretty good, in spite of my mind’s wondering what other parts of the cookie might be made with fake stuff.