Rediscovering Perkins

I rarely go to Perkins. Nothing specifically against it, just little occasion. If I’m in the mood for diner style breakfast, I head to IHOP to feed my hankering for harvest pancakes. I was at Perkins recently for a meeting. Wow, their menu is much more taste focused.
They have a new special menu to brand their pie and dessert offerings – “The Bake Shoppe”. Great layout and very enticing special menu. A generation ago, the gold standard for great pie was homemade – especially by Grandma. Today, the gold standard for pie and homestyle desserts is made on the outside – the local pie shop or bakery; the restaurant pie shop (Marie Callendars, Bakers Square) or pie from a diner-style restaurant (Perkins, Village Inn, Coco’s). Making news of their pie skills helps elevate the taste perception of the whole menu. I want to believe the pies are being made in the back with love and care – yet I know better. I did not recall Perkins making a pie statement before, and they have done a great job of it now.

Banana Cream, please!

And if it's good, maybe something from the griddle....

I can't stop thinking about Arby's!

Why I love the Arby’s advertising campaign:

Highly memorable line – simple and straightforward
Lots of campaignability –
Power of suggestion – truly makes you think of Arby’s even if you want a salad or chicken
Engaging and entertaining - even tho I have seen a given spot many times, I still watch it fully.
Simple, compelling idea – cannot concentrate on anything because only 1 thing is on my mind
Refreshes the brand with strong communication
Enables you to have your brand logo on screen for much of the commercial – more than typical
Good and SHORT story – that still allows for food close-ups to entice you

Thanks for the silly entertainment and actually giving me reason to consider stopping in when I pass Arby’s.

Haagen-Dazs Disappointment

Dear Haagen-Dazs,

I applaud you for the copy printed inside the lid:
“We began more than 40 years ago with 3 flavors, and it took us six years to develop a fourth. That’s the patient and uncompromising approach we’ve taken to every new product we’ve crafted every since.

I like the language but I wonder how true it can be with such an explosion of variety – and knowing that a steady pipeline of new varieties is key to keep folks interested. Not sure this language belongs on expected seasonal introductions, which seem more opportunistic. Perhaps better suited to more classic and proven flavors. Am I one of only 8% who actually read the inner lid?

I was drawn in to the new variety, sticky toffee pudding variety due to the 90 degree sign on the freezer door at a nearby Safeway. Too bad they don’t carry the flavor featured on the sign. Admittedly, I had not purchased HD in a while and was not aware of many of their flavors. I was still searching for the Ben & Jerry variety of “Stephen Colbert’s Americone Dream” – and frustrated in not finding it. Yeah, I know, probably a short term variety – but even in the past month, the sexy Stephen Colbert was eating it on the show. Made me want him, oops I mean the ice cream, even more.

In considering a 2nd choice variety (Man, I was really motivated to buy that Sticky Toffee Pudding variety), I settled on Banana Split. I was hoping it would be HD’s version of Chunky Monkey, but soon realized it would capture the component flavors of a banana split. Despite the enticing name, I must give it a thumbs down. Maybe too many flavors vying for attention at once. I barely got any sort of banana taste – and chunks would have been nice. Very little chocolate. And waaaay too much cherry flavor. I predict lousy repeat and short life cycle.

FGo1