Across business types, the Summer months are consistently difficult times to muster up business. This is largely because consumers are on vacation, their children are out of school, and it's time to relax! However, pulling back on your marketing budget is truly the worst thing a company can do, and why Clayton Parish Neighbors wants to motivate businesses to push through these meager times by relaying a story to you from an era that truly was enduring meager times.
Kellogg’s vs. Post – a True Story
Forbes, The New Yorker, and many others have shared this similar story over the years, telling of a time when businesses struggled to stay open – let alone had the budget to market their products to people who largely did not have the money to buy them. It is, perhaps, one of the most telling reasons why it is imperative to maintain your branding presence to stay on top of the food chain – literally.
In the late nineteen-twenties, two companies—Kellogg and Post—dominated the market for packaged cereal. It was still a relatively new market: Ready-to-eat cereal had been around for decades, but Americans didn’t see it as a real alternative to oatmeal or cream of wheat until the twenties. So, when the Depression hit, no one knew what would happen to consumer demand. Post did the predictable thing: It reined in expenses and cut back on advertising. But Kellogg doubled its ad budget, moved aggressively into radio advertising, and heavily pushed its new cereal, Rice Krispies. (Snap, Crackle, and Pop first appeared in the 1930s.) By 1933, even as the economy cratered, Kellogg’s profits had risen almost 30 percent and it had become what it remains today: The industry’s dominant player.
This is a condensed version of an important lesson taught in marketing classes around the globe but tells a true tale of why maintaining your brand through various marketing initiatives is imperative, and why pulling back on your budget when times are hard, could mean never regaining that presence again.
At Midwest Faith Media, we help your business build Brand Awareness. When you sponsor one of our local publications, you get your business in front of a tight-knit community of engaged readers. Our exclusive, faith-based magazines are requested by more homeowners each month and our distribution on both the local and national level continues to grow. Not only will you gain access to thousands of local homeowners with buying power, but you will also build a relationship with countless local entrepreneurs and influential community
leaders.
For a quarter of a century, Chris Heeb has been a pillar of the St. Louis community, embodying the role of a dedicated local business proprietor. He is passionately committed to both his local community and the promotion of businesses that align with his mission. His Catholic faith is at the heart of his endeavors.
As the owner of Midwest Faith Media LLC and the publisher of Clayton Parish Neighbors, Chris channels his vibrant energy into inspiring families to reconnect with their faith. He encourages them to share their spiritual journey with friends and their wider neighborhood.
In addition to his publishing responsibilities, Chris engages in a range of activities at Little Flower Catholic Church. He cherishes spending time with his wife and children and has a passion for cooking, frequently delighting family and friends with his culinary creations.
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