Let’s admit it; we all, in some way, have “a foodie mindset.” It’s in human nature to be experimental with food and give in to indulgence sometimes — and for a few, most-times. People tend to form a subliminal relationship with what they eat and drink that in turn affects our eating habits. Food and beverages have varied meaning in our lives, which might differ from product to product, brand to brand and person to person. It is a part of socializing for some; a relaxation trigger, an accomplice; to some it brings social pride, status and a source of sheer indulgence and treats — a foodie’s paradise. This also is why, each and every day, all of us get bombarded by dozens of messages from food and beverage marketers and their advertising. TV commercials, billboards, Internet banners, shopper-level activation, quick-response (QR) codes, “Tell us your story,” “Follow us on Twitter,” “Like us on Facebook,” packaging designs screaming for attention, storefronts, promotions, sampling, CSR initiatives, microsites, etc. Some get registered in our memory, but most others don’t make a mark.
Because my work involves advising companies on how to build better and lasting brands — a lot of them being food and beverages — it came to a point where I wanted to find out the recipe for food and beverage brand communication. I wanted to decode what marketers are doing to make consumers choose a certain brand of dessert or get drawn to a certain brand of energy drink or a particular soup brand.