- Images © 2015 by Brian E. Faulkner - I was brought up short in the supermarket the other day by a bag of pretzels, which is not typically on my radar. Last time I had a pretzel probably was some time in 1978.
But this bag of pretzels intrigued. Yes, it had snappy packaging, done up in colors to attract the eye. What was more intriguing, however – and more important in convincing me to stop for a closer look, was the product’s prominent positioning.
The first word that caught my eye was “UNIQUE” – equal in weight to the product’s name: Splits. A banner at the top of the bag proclaimed “The Original Split-Open Pretzel.”
Since I’d never heard of a split-open pretzel and had no idea whether being split-open was a marketable pretzel attribute, I read on. Further down the package, three prominent arrows pointed to a big pretzel, along with a few short lines of text for each benefit:
But this bag of pretzels intrigued. Yes, it had snappy packaging, done up in colors to attract the eye. What was more intriguing, however – and more important in convincing me to stop for a closer look, was the product’s prominent positioning.
The first word that caught my eye was “UNIQUE” – equal in weight to the product’s name: Splits. A banner at the top of the bag proclaimed “The Original Split-Open Pretzel.”
Since I’d never heard of a split-open pretzel and had no idea whether being split-open was a marketable pretzel attribute, I read on. Further down the package, three prominent arrows pointed to a big pretzel, along with a few short lines of text for each benefit:
Bubbles: Bursting with Tantalizing Flavor.
Deep Grooves: Packing a Serious Pretzel Crunch
Beneath The Surface: Hollow Pockets Create a Crisply, Flavorful Bite.
It’s abundantly clear from their key message that Unique Splits Pretzel Bakery of Reading, PA has decided that slightly bulging surfaces, grooves and tiny pockets of air buried in their pretzel would make them more crunchy and appealing. True or not, they got my attention! And the taste test later at home convinced me that they had a good pretzel, although the added value of the benefits they cited were lost on me. Even so, I’m ready to admit that a pretzel aficionado may have picked up on them immediately (if there are such people).
The benefits messaging doesn't stop there. The Splits package also proclaims that their product has more flavor, fewer ingredients (no sugars, malts, preservatives, colors, trans fats) … and smarter baking.
“The Spannuth Family started baking hard and soft pretzels back in the late 1800s,” according to their Web site and a blurb on the back of the package. “The demand for our hard pretzels increased rapidly because of our ‘Unique’ baking process” that allowed the raw pretzel to “burst open,” creating bubbles and crevices that are “crispy, yet crunchy, and filled with flavor.” Which is why they started calling them “Splits”.
Splits come in multitudinous varieties, too: multi-grain, extra dark, unsalted, chocolate covered (yum!) and my future favorite, Bacon Cheddar Flavor Shocked “Shells” (they’re hollow, which makes them more like a potato chip than a pretzel).
If the pretzel itself isn’t the non plus ultra of pretzels (at least for me), the company’s positioning and benefits presentation -- their product story -- is close to perfect and certainly approaches “UNIQUE”.
TakeAway: Don’t be hesitant about stepping forward with your product benefits – especially if they clearly set your offering apart from competitors.
Content © 2015 by Brian E. Faulkner
ABOUT BRIAN FAULKNER:
Brian Faulkner enjoys writing about competitive advantage and delights in helping clients come up with words to set their businesses, brands and products apart and attract the customers they want most. His strategic insights, and the words that go with them, have made a significant, often immediate difference for client companies over many years. He thrives on solving strategic communication problems with demanding deadlines and enjoys writing about corporate vision, challenging marketing situations, complex subjects and new ideas.
Brian also is a five-time Emmy award winning Public Television writer and narrator of UNC-TV’s popular Our State magazine series, on the air since 2003.
The benefits messaging doesn't stop there. The Splits package also proclaims that their product has more flavor, fewer ingredients (no sugars, malts, preservatives, colors, trans fats) … and smarter baking.
“The Spannuth Family started baking hard and soft pretzels back in the late 1800s,” according to their Web site and a blurb on the back of the package. “The demand for our hard pretzels increased rapidly because of our ‘Unique’ baking process” that allowed the raw pretzel to “burst open,” creating bubbles and crevices that are “crispy, yet crunchy, and filled with flavor.” Which is why they started calling them “Splits”.
Splits come in multitudinous varieties, too: multi-grain, extra dark, unsalted, chocolate covered (yum!) and my future favorite, Bacon Cheddar Flavor Shocked “Shells” (they’re hollow, which makes them more like a potato chip than a pretzel).
If the pretzel itself isn’t the non plus ultra of pretzels (at least for me), the company’s positioning and benefits presentation -- their product story -- is close to perfect and certainly approaches “UNIQUE”.
TakeAway: Don’t be hesitant about stepping forward with your product benefits – especially if they clearly set your offering apart from competitors.
Content © 2015 by Brian E. Faulkner
ABOUT BRIAN FAULKNER:
Brian Faulkner enjoys writing about competitive advantage and delights in helping clients come up with words to set their businesses, brands and products apart and attract the customers they want most. His strategic insights, and the words that go with them, have made a significant, often immediate difference for client companies over many years. He thrives on solving strategic communication problems with demanding deadlines and enjoys writing about corporate vision, challenging marketing situations, complex subjects and new ideas.
Brian also is a five-time Emmy award winning Public Television writer and narrator of UNC-TV’s popular Our State magazine series, on the air since 2003.
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