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").
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 :)
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?!?!
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 :)
Our family business was in Painesville, and every once in a while Dad would take us to the Friendly's in Willoughby.
And how crazy that it's now an insurance office (or whatever it is)!