UPDATE: Kraft crumbles from social media pressure
I can’t tell you how many twitter and facebook status updates I have seen today from “True Aussies” slamming the new iSnack 2.0 from Kraft. In fact I just did a quick twitter search and found most people were saying how bad the new name is, with only a few coming out in support.
Well let me say this to you now, and you may not like it, I Am A Proud Australian and I Proudly Support The New iSnack 2.0. Not because I like the name, not because I want to be different but because Kraft and Vegemite have been and continue to be great Australian Brands. I am so sick and tired of Australian’s taking any opportunity to degrade another Australian brand or person. What happened to supporting our homegrown businesses?
You would think with the economy spiraling down and debt mounting we as Australian’s would be looking to support other Australian’s in anyway we can. But no, our “Tall Poppy” mentality comes out once again as we set about destroying another great Aussie Brand.
Think about it, what else could have Kraft done, they included Aussies in the naming contest and let me tell you a large percentage of the people slamming the new name didn’t even suggest an alternative!
Come on Australia, pick up your game and start supporting your own brands! I have said it once and I’ll say it again:
“I Am A Proud Australian and I Proudly Support The New iSnack 2.0”
(You do have to hand it to the Kraft PR team, they are getting some great FREE PR from this new campaign)
Shaun Stenning has been an internet marketer for over 7 years. He has experience in a broad range of online and offline marketing fields and specialises in Search Engine Optimisation, Conversion, Traffic Generation and Monetisation.
Matt Stenning is a Social Media specialist who is passionate about unearthing new strategies and ideas online. He also has a broad range of internet marketing experience.
Stephanie Stenning specialises in online product marketing and copywriting.
Em
- 29th Sep, 09 11:09pm
I don’t hate Australian brands, in fact I support them wherever I can. But this name has no meaning,it’s not witty, it’s just playing on what is considered popular. Anything with the “i” prefix is considered to be cool. It’s not original. It’s like they didn’t even bother trying.
Shaun Stenning (author comment)
- 29th Sep, 09 11:09pm
Hey Em,
The name was actually devised by an Australian based website developer as part of a wider content to name their new product. While I agree the name probably could have been better, I personally didn’t submit a name so I think it’s like an election, if you didn’t vote you can’t really complain.
With regard to the use of the “i” I think it’s a great way to leverage of current trends and the strong brand attraction that Apple has and could help to move a few initial units. It will be interesting to see if they keep the name considering all of the negative social media feedback.
Shaun
Anita
- 29th Sep, 09 11:09pm
I agree with Em (and I did submit a suggestion, so I guess I can complain). But instead of trying to discuss opinions like they are facts, I just want to say that while I’m glad you’re a proud Aussie and want to support Australians, Kraft is a US company, based in Illinois.
Shaun Stenning (author comment)
- 30th Sep, 09 12:09am
Hey Anita,
Thanks for the comments, and I was aware that Kraft is now a US based company. I find your view point refreshing, I suppose personally I am frustrated that something which is seen as an Aussie icon is getting treated with such disdain. While technically it’s a US company, it really is an aussie brand and we proudly market it as such!
Warm Regards
Shaun
Renee
- 30th Sep, 09 12:09am
As an aside to Anita’s comment, might I add that iSnack 2.0 was developed as a way of marketing Vegemite to American consumers who have not developed a palette for our much-loved spread. I think the name is clever, in a cutesy kind of way, but does my opinion matter when Kraft’s target market for this product is American and not Australian?
Shaun Stenning (author comment)
- 30th Sep, 09 12:09am
Hi Renee,
Perfect comments here, it’s great to see more of the truth behind this campaign playing out. If anything we must at least agree that the PR campaign behind this new name has been great for brand recognition
Warm Regards
Shaun
Luke
- 30th Sep, 09 12:09am
Ill have to disagree with you here Shaun. Its not about knocking the company (whether US owned or Australian born) or the product itself (since it hasn’t changed) but the name just fails imho. I didn’t submit a suggestion, nor have I seen any alternatives, but it wasn’t high on my priority lists as I don’t see it as a compulsory act like voting is.
I havent actually searched to see if others are bagging the company or just the name but you clicked ‘like’ on my facebook status update indicating my opinion of the new name so I know you think the name fails as well
I think your final line in brackets sums the whole thing up so well. They have got a LOT of free press over the whole event so their marketing department will be happy about that.
Cheers
Luke
Shaun Stenning (author comment)
- 30th Sep, 09 01:09am
Hey Luke,
Personally I agree that a better more “Australian” name could have been picked but as I stated above I will support the choice they have made on the principle I believe in supporting Australian Brands (well aussie born at least). I find the frustrating thing about the status updates I have seen is that there is no originality of thought or suggested alternatives.
Mind you some great sites have popped up today and yesterday monetising this whole iSnack debate. So the question now begs, who is making more money out of this debate, Kraft or the Opportunists?
As for my opinions, well that’s all they are, and I believe that most people have a misinformed view of what iSnack 2.0 is, in fact I don’t even have the full view. You may know more than me, but I thought the iSnack was a new product (while based on vegemite, still a new product).
An interesting fact I have learn tonight is that Vegemite is actually based on “Beer Waste”, did you know that?
As Alan Shore From Boston Legal Says “I Know I’ll Get Letters” About This Post!
Warm Regards
Shaun
Patricia Johnson
- 30th Sep, 09 08:09am
It could have been called snackmite or crackermite but “NOT” isnack, I think is one of the dumbest names anyone could come up with,it doesn’t appeal to me in anyway in fact it makes me not want to eat Vegemite anymore,give us back the original anytime.
Tania Shipman
- 30th Sep, 09 04:09pm
I love my vegemite but I didn’t like the taste of the new product. That said, anything that gets people interested in an australian icon and trying it is fine in my book.
Shaun Stenning (author comment)
- 30th Sep, 09 04:09pm
Hi Tania,
Great comment, I love the VEGEMITE aussie icon!
Warm Regards
Shaun
anita donnoli
- 8th Oct, 09 11:10am
i think that the new isnack is fantastic and totally great
anita donnoli
- 8th Oct, 09 11:10am
hi my name is anita i am australian and my friend isabella is here with me and agrees that it is fantastic and yum
jase
- 26th Nov, 09 10:11pm
The author doesn’t know what he or she is talking about. Notice how he/she calls kraft an Australian brand, and yet it is based in the Untied States (New York). It’s about as Autralian as throwing a shrimp on the barbie.
Matt Stenning
- 23rd Dec, 09 12:12pm
We note that in our article. Kraft was an Aussie company before it became a US one.