I shopped at Price Chopper the other day and pondered the purchase of some sweet potato chips. The bag I picked up declared that a single serving was equal to the daily nutitional value of fruits and vegetables. That was a good pitch! But another bag caught my eye and earned my purchase.
I noticed a rather generic looking bag with an almost unappealing photograph of a sweet potato chip. The name of the company, as it turns out, was emblazoned across the top of the bag.
“Food Should Taste Good” is the name of the company. An explanation of the name is on the backside of the bag.
Is that a good name? I’d like to hear what you think.
Here’s what I think.
I think there is a trend – perhaps a fad – for naming products and companies in unconventional ways. “Life is Good” is another company name that might have started this trend back in 1994.
Maybe it is just an attempt to break through the clutter. A declaritive statement like “Food Should Taste Good” carries with it an inherent promise, “This food tastes good.” It is almost like the company’s short mission statement was adopted as the company name. The explanation on the back of the bag suggests that this might be what happened.
“Why should I care?” This is a question that consumers ask every time they encounter something that is new to them. “Food Should Taste Good” is an attempt to answer the question by appealing to our stomachs and tastebuds. Clever. Very clever.
Is there a simpler explanation? Trademark- and domain-worthy names are hard to come by. Choosing a name like “Food Should Taste Good” enables the company to quickly own their identity with little marketplace confusion.
For contrast, consider another company name I came across today. Apex Energy Soluti0ns. By the name, I figured it might be a natural gas supplier, or a co-generation facility, or a solar panel manufacturer. The point is, I had no idea. The word “apex” is used by thousands of companies and products, and “energy solutions” says practically nothing. It turns out the company is a window manufacturer.
“Food Should Taste Good.” It’s an odd name, but I think it is strategically very strong and well-considered. What do you think?