Brands That Tell a Story

 

Brands that tell a story

Have you noticed some different looking brand names on your grocer’s shelves? Here are a couple of examples of products I had to study before buying. On the box of instant oatmeal the words “Thick & Hearty” stand out the most. But the brand name appears to be “Better Oats” which appears on a curve above like a house name on an arched door. 

 

Below the “Thick & Hearty” is another line of type: “Instant Oatmeal with Flax Seeds.” The plot thickens—literally! Because that’s what this package is, a story! Oatmeal and flax are the two main characters.

There’s yet another line on the box: “Blueberry Muffin.” I know what blueberries taste like, but I don’t know what muffin tastes like, especially in a bowl of oatmeal. This seems to be a plot twist, as if the package were saying, “Yes, I know you want a muffin for breakfast, but since you have to eat oatmeal, I’m going to suggest a muffin and trick your brain into thinking you’re eating one.”

 

The story wraps up on the back with photos of the main characters. It promises that “you’ll fall in love” at the first bite and to “satisfy any sweet tooth”. How does that happen when there’s no sugar? But wait! The fine print on the side says that sugar is the second ingredient after oats! There’s also salt, natural and artificial flavor, citric acid, and “caramel color”. Not brown, caramel.

 

So, there you have it. Brand story, complete with characters, plot, hidden bad guy, sugar rush for the climax, and eventual letdown. To be completed in 10 one-cup installments.

 

The other example is a story written on a white bottle with black and red ink as if it were a newspaper page. This cooking oil doesn’t even say “cooking oil” on it. Instead it advises us to “Use this oil for cooking.” I know that “Chefs Life” is the brand because I see a little “TM” like a period. (Shouldn’t it be “Chef’s Life” or Chefs Live”? Never mind.) The bottle tells the story with four characters: Avocado, Olive, Sunflower, and Grapeseed, and there’s a lively plot: “Sauté, Fry, Roast, Bake.” The happy ending is also trademarked: “Love to Cook.”