the power of food rituals

Have you ever eaten peanut butter from a spoon? You know, with the spoon upside down. How about folding your slice of pizza? Do you eat the red ones last? Do you Twist, Lick and Dunk?

These are just a few of the food rituals that came to mind as I drank the last bit of milk from my cereal bowl this morning. And I didn’t get in trouble because I was alone at the breakfast table! I had this neat feeling. Not because I got away with a “table manners faux pas”, but because that’s the way I used to finish my cereal as a kid. It was fun! Then it dawned on me. There is a tremendous amount of emotional power behind that little ritual. I got to thinking... at what other times do I have these strange little eating habits and what brands am I reminded of when I do them? At the breakfast table it was Rice Krispies. Not the flavoured ones but the original... And certainly none of the private label “Crunchies” or “Wheaty O’s” or whatever they call them.

Now, there are many food rituals we humans have. Many of them are culturally based, inherent in our religions or by-products of our changing lifestyles. All have various meanings and impact on our psyche. But it’s not those that I am writ-ing about, it’s the other kind. The ones that are tied to some of the most recognized, most loved brands on the planet. With so many brands, so many products, so many choices available, the challenge remains: 

How do you stand out? How do you differentiate? One way, one powerful way, is to become synonymous with a food ritual that keeps your brand top of mind. Keeps them coming back, keeps them buying. Getting a little peckish, think I’ll pop up some popcorn. By the way, I eat it by the handful and without a doubt, its just got to be....

Insert favourite brand here!