As many of you know, Alex and I are working on a new book, Baked-In: The Power of Aligning Marketing and Product Innovation. We need your help. We're looking for examples of products where the marketing has been baked right into the product itself. Where everything carries the same narrative. From the product, to the packaging to the environment, the distribution, the web and even the advertising. All of it saying the same thing.
There are some great examples out there, Apple and the iPod, Nike +, Threadless, Patagonia, etc.
Shoot me a note or leave a comment with other examples.
Thanks for the help.
Innocent drinks in the UK - from the product to the voice on the packaging to the offices to the way they do annual reports to fruitstock.
Howies - a clothing brand whose purpose is to make people think about the world around them: t shirts as provocative thoughts, the way the catalogue goes beyond product to weave in a narrative, their retail space in london where only 40% of space was product and the remainder was about providing stuff (eg lending books, tap to refil water bottle, etc.) to make people think
Posted by: Garethkay@mac.com | December 17, 2008 at 02:30 PM
Hi John,
check out www.jujups.com . Create a christmams card and put it in your blog - its bake it with our promotional strategy as people who click on it can come and create their own.
Cheers
Sivam
Posted by: sivam | December 18, 2008 at 08:12 PM
What about TOMS Shoes? They have a simple mantra of "One for one," where for every pair of shoes that you purchase they will give a pair of shoes to a child in need.
One look at everything they do says 1) we care about these kids, 2) we care about our people, and 3) we are passionate about our shoes.
http://tomsshoes.com/
Posted by: Chris Wilson | December 19, 2008 at 12:34 AM
New Belgium Brewing Company, makers of Fat Tire Ale. Their saying is "Follow your folly, ours is beer." It started with a ride on a bike through Belgium, the creation of their flagship product Fat Tire, and continues with their commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Posted by: Alan | December 19, 2008 at 09:46 AM
I've been thinking about the same thing and would have to say the list includes:
In N' Out Burger for the simplicity of the menu.
Wii for the social, friendly joy of the name & visual identity.
and, because i've been obsessing on what feels like the collision of infomercials and brand these beauties:
Jitterbug is baked in. cellphones for older folks losing vision & tech dexterity.
ShamWow! -surprising effective simplicity that wants to be bought.
FreeJack. ditto.
Posted by: peter spear | January 07, 2009 at 07:32 PM
In&Out pizza 4 the menu.
DS & Wii 4 the virtuality
plus the firefly and the jitterbug 4 the prices
Ian
Posted by: Ian Vaughn Beamon | January 25, 2009 at 05:56 AM
Crispy Cream
Skullcandy
Speedo
Under Armor
Nike SB
Chrome Bags
It strikes me that the concept of Baked In is something that so many small brands start out employing and understanding, whether they're making bags or sandwiches. But as growth becomes necessary, they start to stray from their roots in order to find something to help them grow and they become wider, less deep, and lose that thing that resonates.
Posted by: Robb Shurr | February 05, 2009 at 12:27 PM
How about the emerging overlap between business and societal good? Whole Foods, Ethos water, Greenbox... IMO, this is where the big innovation opportunity lies (which, of course, is why I started my new company.)
Posted by: jennifer | February 06, 2009 at 12:31 PM
These are awesome. Thanks for all of the help.
Posted by: John Winsor | February 08, 2009 at 04:04 PM
I always liked these chip packages:
http://lovelypackage.com/real-chips/
This sort of friendly style copy on everyday FCMG is not uncommon now. But these are done quite well.
Posted by: Pete | February 10, 2009 at 12:12 AM
How is the book coming? I saw on Twitter it appears you're getting close?
I sent Bogusky a few ideas...hopefully you guys got some great suggestions from his Tweet. One suggestion I had was Arbor - where marketing is baked into the company philosophy, product, packaging, distribution, collateral...
http://www.arborsports.com/merchant2/about.html.
Take care
Posted by: Kaycee | February 24, 2009 at 08:53 AM
Altoids is the example I always go back to.
Tim Andren
Posted by: Tim Andren | February 25, 2009 at 01:41 PM
One more suggestion. Flip Video. Great product. Has evolved since launch (specifically with personalization of product itself). Minimal to no advertising at launch. I have "Zach Morris" Flip from 07 but would love the new Mino. Good luck!
Posted by: Kaycee | February 26, 2009 at 04:25 PM
Great idea. We have Flip in the book.
Posted by: John Winsor | February 26, 2009 at 04:57 PM