Sandwiches with a mission

Marketing is largely about supporting brands you connect with on an emotional level. These days, people care more than ever about what’s behind the companies they support and may be more likely to patronize a brand with a mission that resonates with them.

Having a strong mission or POV can go a long way toward developing a passionate audience for your product or service. In fact, it can take you all the way to Time magazine’s list of “The World’s Greatest Places” in 2019.

Congratulations to All Square – a much-deserving Minneapolis restaurant offering formerly incarcerated individuals the opportunity to earn an income while also gaining the skills and training they need to move successfully forward. Marketed as  “Guilt-free comfort food”, it delivers grilled cheese sandwiches to perfection. Even better, you can feel good about eating every ooey-gooey morsel knowing you’re supporting a worthy cause.

Another sandwich you can feel good about eating is Popeye’s Chicken Sandwich. Recent participants in the “Great Chicken Sandwich War” of 2019, Popeye’s went head-to-head with Chick-fil-A. Who won that battle is a toss-up. Consumers who love chicken sandwiches and oppose Chick-fil-A’s values were clearly the early winners.

An added benefit for Popeye’s was the social media frenzy the battle set off. In a period of 11 days, they reportedly garnered over $23 million in equivalent ad revenue – all thanks to the fans and consumers who participated in the battle by sharing posts via their favorite social media platforms.

Sadly, however, Popeye’s ultimately ran out of chicken sandwiches in just two weeks’ time. For a chicken restaurant, that’s not only surprising – it’s just not good press. This company has a great sense of humor, however, and they’re making the most of it. Their latest promotion is BYOB (Bring your own bun). For those of us who balk at the prospect of buying from their competitor, grab an 8-pack of buns at your local grocer and take your friends to your nearest Popeye’s. Why not get some mayo and pickles while you’re at it.

The lesson is clear – if you focus on making an authentic emotional connection with customers it drives passionate responses and improves the bottom line. If you have examples to share, we’d love to hear them.