Just saw a TV ad for Mrs. Butterworth syrup that showed old clips of their commercials from the 60's, 70's, and today.

In today's world of new products and eye-catching graphics, I wonder if this "back to the future" approach is really the best way to market today. A brand that stays true to itself and keeps repeating the same messege over and over probably will continue to do well. An old style of marketing seems remarkably refreshing today. (And BTW, this was not a "nostalgic" commercial, it ended with a young boy from 2007! Very nicely done.

I like Mrs. Butterworth syrup, it is my syrup of choice!

However, the bottle says that it is the Original recipe or flavor or something to that effect.

I remember my mom buying Mrs. Butterworth and it stated on the label that it contained 2% butter (hence, I suspect, the name).

Today's Mrs. Butterworth contains no butter. How can that be the original flavor then?

The bummer is that now I have to use the sugar free "flavor".

If it doesn't contain real food I don't eat it.

I'm not so much talking about the product, (although I'm sure you all have strong opinions about it!), but how it is being marketed. The point is, market the "tradition" and win! I like this approach, and I think in today's cluttered media world, this is a good marketing plan.

I agree. Marketers don't often realize the connectiveness that people have to original marketing.

I'm mildly pissed that GI Joe's had to go and drop the "GI" part. That entire name invoked the heritage of a store that started here in Portland. I still remember the orignial place up on Union with the goofy looking soldier painted on the side of the building. I don't care if they are not an army surplus store anymore, but the Heritage is gone.

"Joe's" sound stupid, too.

Maybe they thought they sounded too much like a military surplus store.

Or thought some may be offended by any link to the US military.

Orville Redenbacher popcorn is taking the same approach. They've been airing ads with Orville himself, who died in 1995.
Along the same lines, KFC brought back the image of Colonel Sanders a few years back.

Yes, changing the name to Joes is just plain dumb from a marketing standpoint. Unfortunately Joe's wasn't going to survive much longer without a partial buyout and the new owners didn't like "GI Joes."

(GI Joe's has a history of making major bonehead decisions and at one point, their bank was running some of their stores. All this is another thread however.)

They tried marketing "Mrs. Margarineworth", but it didn't test well.

"Mrs. Lardass" would have been truth-in-advertising correct.