Will Twinkie’s make “the sweetest comeback in the history of ever”?
I don’t know about you, but I’m glad Twinkie’s have made a resurgence. For a while, I thought the worst nightmare of Zombieland’s Tallahassee had come true. However, they’re back and Hostess Brand has its work cut out for it.
With the slogan of, “The sweetest comeback in the history of ever,” one might think marketing Twinkie’s would be a piece of cake (pardon my pun). However, there is a duality the company must achieve in order to become the reigning champion of cream-filled snacks. How do they market to both existing Twinkie lovers and also newcomers?
Reliance on the nostalgia factor plays a large role in Twinkie’s marketing plan. They’ve been around since 1930 and established a huge fan base that doesn’t care about what the cakes contain. With a 45 day shelf life, many, such as the Millennial generation, may pass up on the snack out of health concerns.
A health conscious generation, focused on organic, GMO-free, whole foods, the Millennials will be a tough sell for Twinkie’s. So what can Hostess Brands do?
They can take a page out of the Coca-Cola book. Whenever a new trend creeps up, Coca-Cola jumps on it. People want less sugar in their drink? Diet Coke arrives on store shelves. How about no calories or sugar? Coke Zero. What about highly active individuals? Enter Coke’s Gatorade line. The company keeps up with what’s going on in the world. Yet, they maintain the tried and true original Coca-Cola, appeasing as many consumers as possible.
In order for Twinkie’s to make the “sweetest comeback” as they claim, they are going to have to branch out from their one standard product. They could try making gluten-free or lower sugar versions in an attempt to lure in the Millennials. It’s worth a shot.
Ultimately, the key to success is to try not to exclude demographics. Yes, it is pretty much impossible to make everyone happy, but making a product as accessible as possible is what will keep a brand alive.
Photo Credit: Christian Cable
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