In this live brainstorm, Semiserious pitches strategies that embrace the hate and turn fruitcake into a cult classic. So hang onto your bundts, friends, because we’ve cooked up a holiday episode of ‘Can They Brand That?®‘ sure to make you hungry for more (jokes, not fruitcake, probably).
Once we wrapped our minds around what fruitcake is ( candied or dried fruit, nuts, and spices, and optionally soaked in spirits, yum? ew?), we concocted some new Christmas folklore, plenty of signature wordplay, and, of course, a few celeb cameo suggestions.
Please enjoy the fruits of our brainstorming labor by popping over to our agency website to see the full, designed spec work (43 slogan and campaign concepts in total!), and from the bottom of our hearts, Happy Hondadays. Hosted by: Allie LeFevere and Lyndsay Rush Sanders
Timestamps:
00:00 Introducing the Creative Challenge: Branding Fruitcake with Comedy
00:16 Let the fruitcake brainstorming begin!
00:29 Improvised Branding Brainstorm for Fruitcake: Ideating funny brand names, activations, out-of-home campaigns, digital campaigns, taglines, web copy, and brand lore.
Key Branding Ideas from This Episode:
- Transformative brand innovation requires valuing what is initially unappealing or misunderstood.
- Instead of dismissing out of hand, explore the hidden qualities of what seems unappealing, like a dish with unusual ingredients, and discover potential brand value beneath surface-level discomfort.
- Our judgments about quality or appeal are largely driven by story and context, not inherent attributes.
- Reframing or creating a compelling story can elevate the perceived worth of an idea or product.
- Highlight the nuanced craftsmanship behind an idea or product to differentiate it from mass-market, oversimplified alternatives.
- Our impressions of what is delicious or appealing are learned and can be reshaped through social and cultural cues.
- Challenging assumptions about inherent preferences opens pathways for influencing customer choices and expanding markets.
- Use storytelling and context to normalize unfamiliar or complex product offerings, gradually shifting audience taste over time.
- Overconfidence in knowledge can hinder appreciation for depth and nuance, limiting brand innovation opportunities.
- Stay open to the unfamiliar by deliberately challenging assumptions about what is “good” or “bad,” opening space for new ideas to flourish.
Semiserious is a female-founded humor branding agency for CPG brands. Their sweet spot is working with founder-led or venture-backed DTC startups to build brands using comedy as a core strategy to help brands stand out in a crowded market. Their roster includes industry darlings like Clif Bar, Native, Blue Bunny, Waterboy, Pie, Argent, JOI, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Yogi Tea, Choice Organics, GEN Z, The University of Chicago, Alleyoop, Better Than Booze, Backwoods, Bad Rabbit, U Suck at Golf, Hobbyist, and the Dallas Cowboys, but they would never brag about it in their bio. This funny branding agency has offices in Chicago and Nashville, but works with clients globally.
Say hi or snoop around:
🔔 Subscribe for weekly branding brainstorms → https://www.youtube.com/@semiseriousagency
📺 Watch the full Can They Brand That?® show series → https://bit.ly/can-they-brand-that-playlist
🌐 Work with Semiserious: https://semiseriousagency.com/
ICYMI, this show exists 1) to champion originality and creativity in a sea of AI slop, 2) to show potential clients the power and value of fun as a consumer-converting strategy, and 3) to bring some much-needed levity into the world where we can.
#FruitcakeBranding #CanTheyBrandThat #HumorBranding #BrandStrategy #FunnyMarketing #HolidayMarketing
