Marketing can make or break a product - By Michelle Libby

When I was little, my mother used to cook with Velveeta, a fake looking cheese, orange in color, but easy to melt and so yummy on sandwiches and hamburgers. To this day my family still puts Velveeta on our burgers and certain sandwiches.
 

This week it has come to my attention that there is an impending Cheesepocalypse. Kraft Foods, the maker of said yumminess, said that it can’t keep up with the demand for the golden cheese. During the last decade or two, Velveeta fell out of favor. No one wanted to eat that processed “cheese” when they could have Swiss, cheddar or provolone. Then came the marketing with the salsa company. Cube the Velveeta melt it in the microwave, then add a jar of salsa and voila…a cheesy dip for football parties. It took a year or so for this to catch on, but now look…wowza! Cheesepocalypse. 

With a small change and a blending of marketing, Kraft learned that a product that was only stocked at one store in our area (Hannaford) and with only two or three blocks on the shelf can skyrocket to popularity. Now Velveeta in various sizes takes over three shelves in all three of our local box supermarkets. That’s success.

Now small businesses are thinking, how can I create blended marketing to benefit my products and my company? Think about combining a company that sells bags and wallets made from recycled sailboat sails. Mix that with a company that engineers luggage. 

What about a company that sells small Maine-made gifts, which markets itself with a company or product that creates gift baskets. 

These are just ideas off the top of my head. Usually the great ideas are four or five layers down after asking “what if?” many more times. 

I love the idea of people working together to benefit everyone. Companies benefit, product sales increase thus creating more money, more jobs, the need for more advertising, increased production. It’s a cycle.

It all begins with a meeting. Someone at Kraft Foods in charge of Velveeta had a meeting with someone at the salsa company and they said, hey, there’s a football game on Sunday…can we work together? 

So rush to the store to pick up your Velveeta before it’s too late and I’d recommend stocking up for Superbowl Sunday because that “cheese” can last a long, long time…unrefrigerated and unopened in your pantry. It’s better to be safe than sorry.