The past few weeks have been interesting. I joined the Kraft Macaroni and Cheese team which happens to be the only brand at Kraft working with CPB (Crispin Porter and Boguski). One of the unique aspects of the CPB philosophy is creating "talk value" which hopefully, in the long run, keeps brands relevant and elevates them to "icon" status. Take a look at their work and you'll notice a certain amount of brand confidence, jest, and presumptuousness - Coke Zero, Domino's Pizza "Yes We Did", the Windows 7 campaign, and now KMC's "You Know You Love It." As a marketer, it's exciting to think about your brand becoming an icon, becoming a cultural influence rather than simply reacting to cultural trends. The CPB experiment is still new and I hope it works ... time will tell but early signs are positive. One component of our marketing plan this year is this large macaroni noodle statue which we'll be taking to iconic, high-traffic areas across the country (think Wrigley Field). I spent the afternoon at Chicago's Navy Pier with the Noodle a couple weeks ago and literally every other person who walked by would stop in their tracks for a photo opp. I was wearing a You Know You Love It t-shirt yesterday and a woman stopped me on the street and asked if that was a Kraft Mac and Cheese t-shirt. "I love that stuff!" she said with excitement. The most vulnerable period for an idea is its first year and I hope Kraft will give this one a chance. Brand building takes years so icon building may be a decade long endeavor. I dream of the day that KMC noodle will rival the Nike Swoosh ... but until then, YOU KNOW YOU LOVE IT.
