Food and Nostalgia

If you have to brand a fruit juice that is commonly available, you might think you are stuck with a commodity. The only hope is to get the taste, price and distribution right and accept a commodified, fragmented market with no real consumer preference for a brand.

Except when you see how two brands have managed to own distinct, diametrically opposite meanings for the same fruit juice!

While Maaza promises fulfillment of a childlike appetite for mangoes. Slice promises satiation of a very adult desire.

The same works well in another category – chocolates. Chocolates can be about childhood, excitement, and innocence. They can also be part of very adult, seductive experiences.

Think ice creams and you can see the pattern repeating – innocence and sensuality.

These seemingly opposite spaces emerge from the intersection of our lives and foods.

Our desire to go back to childhood is strong and taste experiences from those times serve as powerful time machines.

At the same time, foods have a strong connect with our mating instincts. After all, sex and food are the two critical things that keep a species alive and thriving.

If you look closely enough, you might uncover similar, opposite spaces in your category too!