Break ups are the latest trend in the American market. It's how epic finales of movie series like Harry Potter and Twilight (wait did I say epic?) made millions more dollars. It's the only way Taylor Swift is able to write one top-charter after another. Just Born Inc tried the same tactic with their famous candy Mike and Ike. People either bought of Mikes or a box of Ikes. The idea was to increase sales with these rival names, when really all the money was going to the same company. Did it work? According to Just Born, the brand had its best sales growth that year in over a decade.
So how'd Just Born do it? You'd think that no one would care whether they bought a box of Mikes or a box of Ikes. They're the same product after all What's more, wouldn't devoted Mike and Ike eaters just pick a side? How'd they get so many other people to try their products?
Part of the answer lies in advertising appeals. The first is need for affiliation. As much as we all long to be noticed as our own amazing self, most of us want to be apart of a group. Most of us fear being known as the person who doesn't really belong anywhere. Many people therefore, would feel the need to pick Mike or Ike, so as to belong to a group. Even those who didn't like Mike and Ikes would be persuaded to buy and pick a side. The second is need to satisfy curiosity When the divorce was announced, most of were probably wondering what the difference between Mikes and Ikes was. People had to try and buy both, so they could know if there really was a difference.
What advertising technique is used to create those advertising appeals? I think the obvious answer here is the bandwagon technique. Just Born uses candy propaganda to make money. People are being encouraged to choose a side. Just Born doesn't establish a winning or losing side. It lets the consumer do so, which is genius because the side they pick is the side they want everyone else to pick. If this worked really well it would have the consumer promoting the candy, a promotion which may be even more valuable than the ads themselves.
Occasionally, the radio advertisements encourage the feuding. They ask you who's side your on, in a threatening, you-better-choose manner. The voice also reminded me of the guy from All-State, which made me very confused. I didn't really know whether to feel threatened or safe.
That was 2012. Mike and Ike have since reunited and are using new techniques to get people to buy a box. Today it's all about Left or Right Twix. Who's side are you on?
I remember when I first saw a box of Mike and Ikes--or a box of Ikes rather--in the movie theatre and I was like, "That's really weird," so I ended up buying it. Although I have never felt any real sense of loyalty to either side (as the advertisers were most likely their consumers would), I can definitely see how the need for affiliation is the primary target for this advertising campaign. This advertising strategy reminds me of the whole "Edward vs. Jacob" fad from a few years back, but I feel like the rivalry between fans of Mike and Ike wasn't quite as intense as the one between those of Twilight. The Just Born corporation was almost certainly trying to use the bandwagon technique to pitch this "new" product to the consumer (as you stated), and apparently it worked out for them, because money doesn't lie.
ReplyDeleteI didn't notice this trend until you pointed it out, but now I'm realizing how common this technique really is. It's so childish, really. It reminds me of how people are so dismissive of each others political parties and how quickly we form opinions based on our associations.
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