The Top 5 Marketing Mistakes Food Companies Make

As a food marketing agency, we work with a wide variety of food companies from start-ups to Fortune 500 corporations. Here are a few common food marketing mistakes we’ve seen in the past 18 years:

1.    Marketing without a plan.
Many companies execute one-off marketing tactics, throwing ideas against the wall to see what sticks. We believe the best marketing starts with a solid plan, laying the foundation for your future success. A marketing plan should take in factors unique to your brand, competition, target audience, budget and more. In the end, you should have a compelling selling story that differentiates your product and a strategy to spread your message.

2.    Driving distribution without a plan for pull-through.
It’s great that your product is being picked up by a big distributor or getting shelf space at a new retailer, but how long will it last? Without the proper marketing tactics to drive awareness, you’re not going to receive the payoff you deserve.

3.    Naming your company on a whim and having your best friend’s kid design your logo.
We understand that startups often have very small budgets, but inviting amateurs to dictate the future of your company has its own price. If you’re going to put in the time and energy to get your company off the ground, put your best foot forward with a name and logo design that make strategic sense.
Do a quick check of your brand! Common culprits include:

• Names that are more cute than functional – For every cute name that works, e.g. Boom Chicka Pop, we see twice as many that don’t.
• Names that cause a negative reaction – You may be surprised at the words that have negative connotations. Take a poll. Get feedback.
• Names with a ‘disconnect’ – Is it really “fresh” if it comes in a can? Your name should make sense.
• Logos that look like meaningless clip art – A random shape is not a logo, it’s a random shape. Logos should be specific and relevant to your company or product.
• Logos that are overly complex – How many colors are there? Shapes? Special effects? Aim for a minimal number of elements to bring through the essence of the brand.

Make sure to read about the last two of the top 5 food marketing mistakes in our next blog post!

Do you have any questions after examining your brand?