Many of my brand preferences were decided as a child. And it’s something parents should think about.
I’m not talking cereal, although I often still like Cheerios and Cap’n Crunch. I am referencing the important brand decisions…..
Recently I compared notes with a friend, and we both had similar experiences. Here’s a sampling.
- Laundry Detergent – We both use Tide because our mothers did. Now neither one of us know the exact Tide, since Tide is a brand with a zillion products. He uses something good for the earth, while I use something called Total Care because it does a nice job getting stains out of my clothes.
- Soap? Dial
- Soda – Our parents rarely had soda in the house, and when they did it was a Coke product. My Dad’s sister’s family was a Royal Crown family, my cousin’s choice to this day.
- Ketchup – ahh, you already know we were both raised in Heinz families, as I spelled it Ketchup, and not catsup as Hunt’s did.
- Butter? Land o Lakes. Although Kates of Maine is a favorite.
- Mayonnaise? On this one….I am embarrassed to say Mom used Miracle Whip, my preference to this day.
- Dad drove a General Motors car….eschewing Ford or Chrysler. While I’ve had some GM cars, and they were fine, I’ll admit to being partial to Volvo and Honda (made in Ohio.)
So why the trip down memory lane?
What we do every day with our children is placed into their memory forever. Obviously the kind of soap you use or ketchup is trivial…and the realm of professional marketers’ consideration.
Here’s a brand decision our kids will remember!
Children’s brains are akin to a dry sponge soaking up water.
What happens when you hug your child? Kiss your child?
What’s filed away when you yell at your child?
While it’s hard to be positive and upbeat every day, you need to do so for your children!
As I look back over my life and think of the times I brought work home, and wasn’t there for my kids (literally and figuratively) this is something I wish I could “do over” and be better with for my kinds.
What are your thoughts?