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There's a disconnect between corporate marketing & customer preference. I was talking w/ someone recently about this re: branding. Taco Bell, for example. It's not a 3rd Place for lingering, so it's silly to set up a living room vibe. People eating their Taco Bell are in a hurry to consume that stuff without spilling all over their laps. It's a lean-over-the-table and move-along spot. The marketing grads at corporate aren't paid to think of customer preference, they're paid to help corporate conform (i.e. "stay relevant").

Also, did you say Taco Bell has a blog?!?!

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You've hit the nail on the head, Andy! This essay was actually originally intended to be a deep dive into that disconnect and how creatives are often paid to "evolve" a brand even when consumers prefer what's working. Nostalgia is hard to lean into when there's the temptation of being "new," even if the new is at odds with a brand. That premise was getting unwieldy, so I opted to just explore one facet here, but you're definitely right about the underlying causes.

And I only learned about the Taco Bell blog in researching this story- I can't say I'm a regular reader :)

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Jun 5, 2023Liked by Heath Racela

Our family business was in Painesville, and every once in a while Dad would take us to the Friendly's in Willoughby.

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And how crazy that it's now an insurance office (or whatever it is)!

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