Wow, here's another indication of how things have changed.
I just finished breakfast, a nice bowl of Wheaties with a banana. As I was munching away, I was reading the New York Times, as is my normal practice. In a pinch, I sometimes skip the Times' Metro section, which is the paper's homage to actually being a New York newspaper. That's where the Times covers local fires, murders, politics; the stuff that's on the front page of the Post or Daily News.
The front page of this morning's Metro section, however, was dominated by a singular image: a huge picture of a Mallomars cookie. Now, if you click that link, you'll be taken to a very feeble Nabisco page showing a tiny box of Mallomars. That's it. No back story, no testimonials, nothing. But if you click on this link, you'll be taken to the Times story, in which the author waxes rhapsodic about the cookie and its seasonal appeal. Mallomars aren't sold during summer months because the chocolate melts. Why not use chocolate that doesn't melt? See, that's the kind of pomo thinking that got us into this fix in the first place. Just like you're not supposed to have watermelon in December, you're not supposed to have Mallomars in August.
But, I digress.
My point is two-fold. First, I expected more from Nabisco. The cult appeal of Mallomars is nothing new. A Google search reveals plenty of stories about the cookie that make it clear that it's hip. Where's the Mallomars' brand manager? Doesn't she know this thing is ripe for a blog? Or a podcast? Or at least its own cool website? Instead we get a dead corporate page. Blah!
Second, just as I was sitting down to write this, I received this morning's edition of Tim Manners' always engaging, Cool News of the Day. And what's the lead piece this morning? You guessed it, Mallomars.
What do you want to bet there's a surge in sales over the next 48 hours? Without a bit of "marketing." Which is a shame, because a little bit of modern marketing attention could really provide a tremendous boost at a time like this.
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