Food Marketing | Rejuvenating nostalgic brands | Food Processing

The 120-plus-year-old company bounced back, fast and stronger than ever, from the New Coke debacle of 1985, but the lesson of how not to revive an old brand still stings. Not only did it channel the ������damage control������ energy into a boost-giving rebranding for Classic Coke, the company has since transformed the Carnaby Street-era diet soda pioneer, Tab, into a new, non-cola energy drink for the chic-yet-retro 2000s. Under direction of its new CEO, Neville Isdell, pulled from retirement to add life back to the brand, Coke swam against the ������if you can������t beat ������em, join ������em������ tide of teas, waters and other non-carbonated drinks and directed energy ������ and cash ������ back into the cola core. Isdell������s three-point strategy of marketing, new market development and horizontal brand extension worked. Within two years, Coke sales were bigger than they������d been in nearly 20 years, the global market was theirs (although competition from dozens of new ������boutique������ beverage makers keeps the sales struggle going in the U.S.) and Coke Zero sold more than 100 million cases in its first year. The real key for us, whenever we������ve had a lull ������ and there have been some ������ is coming out with new flavors, new packaging, new varieties, new sizes. cream) and nutraceutical components (added calcium), Cadbury Schweppes reinvented a brand that had never been ������hip������ and made it retro-cool. Kraft and its 2000 acquisition Nabisco (a company that traces its roots back to 1792 as the New York Biscuit Co.) constitute a veritable treasure trove of nostalgic brands. and the ������baby������ of the group, Honey Maid Graham crackers (1928) tote up nearly 2,000 years of brand recognition and solid sales. ������They say everything old is new again,������ she says in company communications. The ������retro craze has taken off in the past few years as people celebrate the nostalgia of previous fads.������ Speaking of nostalgia, the company just bought the Cream of Wheat and Cream of Rice hot cereal mix brands from Kraft.