Tomatoes represent the very best qualities of the strongest brands.

Sharon McCafferty
Sep 6, 2018 · 4 min read

Full disclosure, I love Midwestern, August tomatoes so much, I once brought a large cloth sack full of them as a housewarming present. Imagine my surprise when the receiving family member revealed they don’t care much for tomatoes. My husband and I still crack up about my obsession with good food, my sometimes simple ways, and my bag of “maters.”

I feel an intense pull for the August tomato. A recent trip to a Farmers’ Market found me with the biggest delight of all, freshly picked but bruised tomatoes. Value priced at $5 for a carton of 24. I rushed home immediately, giddy with the excitement of the knowledge that a bruised tomato tastes just as good as a pretty tomato, and drooling at the thought of the tomato soup I was about to concoct. Time spent slicing, then stirring, then pureeing these truly delicious fruits (yes, a tomato is a fruit), finds me recognizing patterns between the humble tomato and the strongest qualities of truly competitive brands in owning paradoxical qualities. In fact, tomatoes own a trifecta of paradoxes, catapulting them into extremely competitive brand territory. I present the following as inspiration for your next brand building approach:

1. Tomatoes are Classic yet Innovative

Is there a more iconic food image than a burger with lettuce and tomato? If a recent Google image search for tomato is any indication, I think not. The sweetness and acidity provided by the bite of tomato complement the rich fattiness of the beef and help ensure the perfect bite of the burger. And not just any tomato will do. In fact, Wendy’s believes so strongly in the role of the tomato on their burgers, that they’re moving their growing process to greenhouses for 2019 burgers, ensuring a full-flavored, firm and non-mushy addition.

Innovative you say? How so? Many ways, actually. My trip to the PMA in New Orleans last October had me salivating at the ways tomatoes can compete with the snack world. Packaged in a cup-holder ready cup for 1? How about a pre-formed football-shaped bowl for munching and sharing while watching the big game? Maybe a shelf ready meal kit featuring tomatoes? Seemingly simple tactics like packaging and even accompaniments elevate the tomato offering. To be quite honest, Sunset Tomatoes alone were the inspiration for this article. Tomatoes fitting into other food occasions seamlessly, leveraging current consumer behavior as well as desires sounds like an insight-driven innovation to me.

My recent farmers’ market score was a crate of bruised August tomatoes for $5.

2. Tomatoes offer premium and everyday offerings.

I mentioned the end-of-Summer tomatoes in the Midwest that I’m currently enjoying. They taste delicious raw or in a recipe. I can’t get enough honestly and the crowds around the tables at the farmers’ market tell me I’m not the only one.

At the same time, come the winter months, I’m intrigued by the offerings of Heirlooms and specialty tomatoes. I’d argue that folks like Sunset farms offer a quality tomato for all of us, and these tomatoes do a nice job representing “the family” in the winter, via a healthier snack, a nice lunchbox veggie or tossed into a salad.

3. Tomatoes Fit the Paradox of Occasions

Tomatoes fit so many need states and occasions of use. Snack time and meal time. On their own or in a recipe. Whether one is making a chili (Muir Glen canned tomatoes are nice), craving a sweet, bright healthy snack, desiring meal inspiration or even topping a burger, tomatoes are there and honestly, belong on the weekly shopping list. I imagine this is a goal of many brands and the fact that tomatoes can do so in an ownable way (green beans certainly don’t fit this bill) without boring the shopper is truly noteworthy.

Lunch Anyone?

Thus concludes my ode to my favorite piece of produce. I hope this inspires you to add tomatoes to your weekly shopping list, or gather inspiration for your next branding assignment.

About Sharon McCafferty

When I’m not enjoying a juicy tomato, I can be found in Cincinnati helping agencies and brands as a creative brand strategist. I take the advice of Julia Child when she said, “Find something you’re passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it” as I have a keen focus on food brands and the role key foods play in the lives of consumers. In 2015, I published a proprietary qualitative study, “100 Kitchens,” and am following that up with a yet-unnamed project for launch in January 2019. Stay connected with me on LinkedIn, Facebook or email at sharon.mccafferty@homeecconsulting.com. I look forward to connecting!

Sharon McCafferty

Written by

Brand strategist, insights junkie, wry observer

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