It's that time of the year again, time to talk about Halloween and brands, and how a little added spook can make all the difference to products. This fun and frightful time is big news in the UK and big brands know this, which is why so many roll out fun, Halloween-themed goodies that are perfect for scary parties and trick or treating!
To help get you in a fiendish mood, check out our favourite Halloween inspired food brands... We're sure you'll agree, they're ghoulishly good!
Cadbury Crunchy Spider
When it comes to Halloween and brands, Cadbury always have a spooktacular range of scary treats and this is our top pick: the Cadbury Crunchy Spider. Yummy milk chocolate overflowing with green crisped rice balls that crunch in your mouth... tasty! Kids will love them, and adults too. We particularly like the eye catching purple and green packaging that is spot on for Halloween. In fact, we're hoping to catch a few when we're out trick or treating this year...
Burger King Halloween Whopper
Last year, Burger King unveiled their Halloween Whopper - but we were distraught to find that it was only available in America! What a shame, as when it comes to eye catching Halloween and brands, it looked so good; the black bun really stands out, especially as it's sprinkled with pure white sesame seeds.
Okay, it's just like a regular whopper with a different coloured bun, but it was infused with Burger King's A.1. steak sauce which was smothered inside too. Reviews were mixed, some customers loved it, others weren't impressed - especially as it didn't include the black-coloured cheese or squid ink of its Japanese predecessor (back in 2012, Japan introduced the Premium Kuro (Black) Burger to mark the fifth anniversary of BK's return to Japan). But, love it or loathe it, this Halloween burger got people talking all over social media and beyond.
What do you think? We love it, so Burger King, if you're listening, can we please have our own Black Whopper right here in the UK in time for Halloween?
Halloween Oreo Cookies
Love Oreo cookies? How about a Halloween Oreo cookie? As soon as we saw these US imports, we just had to place an order (but why aren't they available in the UK?!)
As you can see, the biscuit base is stamped with spooky pumpkin faces and the centre has changed from the usual vanilla to an 'oh so tasty' orange creme... Someone pop the kettle on! We need to dunk these dastardly biccies in our tea!
It's a surefire winner in the Halloween and brands stakes!
Jaffa Cakes
All this talk of teatime treats has got us thinking of another firm favourite - Jaffa Cakes - and in particular, their limited edition Jaffa Cake Lemon and Slime Cake Bars. These bars first made an appearance two years ago and, due to their popularity, are making another comeback this year.
The dark chocolate and tangy orange centre is perfect for Halloween, and it's all wrapped up in striking Halloween packaging - which includes bats, pumpkins, spider webs and more - that really makes them stand out from the competition. There's even spooky jokes that are revealed when you unwrap your devilish delight.
Mike Benton, Marketing Controller at McVitie’s Cake Company commented: “The £50m McVitie’s Jaffa Cakes brand lends itself well to seasonal limited editions and this year we decided to have a different take on last year’s popular Lemon and Slime flavoured Jaffa Cakes and the UK’s number one cake bar, with the Jaffa Cakes Lemon & Slime Cake Bars."
McDonald's Choco-Pumpkin Fries
There was a time when McDonald's went all out for Halloween, but even though October 31st is just around the corner, there's no sign of any spooky Happy Meals or horror burgers. But, in Japan, McDonald's has introduced Choco-Pumpkin fries for Halloween - fries splattered with a mix of pumpkin and chocolate flavoured sauces - but we're not quite sure what we think of these...
They're officially called 'Halloween Choco Potato' and whilst they've been rolled out for Halloween over there, they also mark McDonald's' 45th anniversary in Japan and the reaction from customers has, in general, been very positive!
We hope you've enjoyed our creepy collection of Halloween inspired brands, and if you're thinking of adding a little fun to your food products, whether it's for Halloween or any other seasonal celebratory time, get in touch and let us help you stand out from the crowd. In the meantime, Happy Halloween!
Hello, Eat.
Hi Bot, can I order a pizza?
No problem, it’s on its way.
Thanks.
Is this the future of food delivery: a quick chat online and then voila, there you have it, your next meal? Here, we explore the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and how it’s being introduced to the food industry. From ordering your dinner via Facebook Messenger, to being made a cocktail by a robot, it’s time to welcome the world of AI eating.
Dear Robot…
AI in the food industry has gone from strength to strength, with the likes of Facebook Messenger getting involved with a variety of restaurants and takeaways. For example, Burger King have built an AI software that interacts with customers through the messenger, allowing users to order their next meal from a set menu. Not only that, the bot shows users where the nearest Burger King is and allows them to pay through the app.
More recently, Domino’s Pizza have created Dom the pizza bot, an AI that’s accessible via Facebook Messenger. With a funny, personable tone of voice, Dom the bot allows users to order their preferred pizza via a single word or emoji. That’s right - if you’re hungry, just send Dom an emoji of a pizza! Obviously, before users can order with Dom, they will have to sign up to Domino’s easy order system, which involves creating a ‘favourite’ basket (their usual order) and logging in their payment details.
Sack the waiting staff
https://youtu.be/JrGD_1haJxY
In Shanghai, China, they recently introduced a robot-only run KFC - the world’s first ever human-free fast food restaurant. Yep, you heard us right. Run completely by cute little robots, customers can now order, chat and pay for their food without interacting with a single human being.
Another example of robots taking over is Makr Shakr, a collection of creatives who have designed a robotic cocktail maker. Long gone are the cool bar staff and mixologists, instead you simply create your own cocktail via a tablet and watch as the long, metallic arms stir up a drink for you to enjoy.
Delivery!
So what does AI in food delivery mean for the likes of Deliveroo and Just Eat, who currently operate their businesses from a website and apps? In just a few years, we’ve said goodbye to the ‘let’s call for a takeaway’ and waved hello to online ordering, so surely AI delivery is just a quick download away from taking over.
Aside from ordering with AI, you’ve also got to consider how marketing will play a part. Once a certain amount of data has been collected from a user, businesses will be able to target certain people at specific times with friendly updates, such as ‘Hungry?’ or ‘Do you fancy pizza?’. For example, if your data picks up that one person often orders a pizza on a Friday at around 7pm, your bots can be programmed to make contact around that time, hitting them at their hungriest.
We know that it’ll be the bigger franchises that make the initial move to AI, but with time it’ll be interesting to see if your local curry house makes the move to Messenger and other similar chat apps. Who knows, maybe in a few years time your Friday night takeaway will just be an emoji away.
Will you be making friends with robots and introducing AI into your delivery service? Or maybe you already have it in place? Share your thoughts with us today.
Here at Eat Marketing, we set ourselves a very important task… to find the best Easter eggs for 2016! With such a wide and varied selection out there, how do you know which to choose? Take a look at our top picks and celebrate Easter 2016 in style. Happy Easter egg munching!
Egg-spensive!
If you have a spare £25,000 lying around, how about placing an order for Choccywoccydoodah’s Easter Egg Trio? Yes, you heard right, this set of eggs has an astonishing £25,000 price tag! It does look amazing, doesn’t it?
Choccywoccydoodah’s Easter Egg Trio
Save Pennies, Keep the Taste
Down at the other end of the Easter egg scale, take a look at a bargain range of Easter eggs and save your pennies! This economical lot is just as tasty as their more expensive cousins, and, as you’re saving money, you can afford to buy a few extra, surely...
Sainsbury's Milk Chocolate Easter Egg with Caramels
Cadbury's Creme Egg Easter Egg
Hold the milk
Love chocolate but not milk? Holland and Barrett has a fantastic range of dairy free Easter Eggs and what’s more, there’s a money saving ‘buy one, get one half price’ offer on the collection too!
Holland & Barrett Dairy Free Easter Eggs
Egg shells
Eggs in real shells? Yes, that’s right. Filled with a delicious combination of milk chocolate, hazelnut and praline, these chocolate hen eggs are an unusual gift for choc lovers who like something a little different.
Off with their egg (shapes)
Easter eggs don’t have to be egg shaped either… Just look at this delectable range of choccy treats that are anything but egg shaped!
Easter Eggs… Literally!
Or, how about a couple of Belgian chocolate treats that are, quite literally, egg shaped!
Betty’s Easter Delights
Ah Betty’s… The famous tearooms have a range of delightful Easter eggs to order online which means that even if you can’t get to Yorkshire, you can still get a taste of Betty’s right in your very own kitchen. Pop the kettle on!
Milk Chocolate Eggs with Handmade Chocolates
Show some Style
Looking for an Easter egg that’s stylish as well as delicious? Take your pick from this show-stopping range:
Harrods Artisan Milk Chocolate Easter Egg
Hotel Chocolat Easter Egglet Sleekster
Godiva Beaded Egg Filled With Mini Chocolate Eggs
Pot Noodle Lovers
Know someone who loves Pot Noodles? We’ve found the perfect gift, a Pot Noodle inspired Easter egg! Although thankfully, this one doesn’t taste of pot noodle…
Pot Noodle Milk Chocolate Egg and Ceramic Mug
We hope you love our Easter Egg picks as much as we do! Have a great Easter and if you're looking to sharpen up your food brand after the Easter holidays, get in touch, we would love to help.
Roll up, roll up, get your marketing plan here... 2015 is finally upon us and we’re back from the Christmas and New Year celebrations, refreshed and ready to kick January off with a big, creative bang and exciting new marketing plans for clients old and new!
Happy New Year to you all. How was your festive break? We're feeling great, although - ahem - we may have put on a bit of weight... (We can't resist mince pies!)
If you're feeling a little lethargic after the obligatory festive excess, have no fear, Eat Marketing is here! The beginning of a year is the perfect time to start thinking of a new marketing plan that will have a prosperous impact on your business, so, how about making this your New Year's resolution for 2015?
If a new marketing plan sounds like a great idea but you're unsure where to start, let us help with a few inspirational fit tips... Take another look at our Fitter Marketing Plan for 2015 blog and discover just how many ways you can create an impact with a focused marketing plan.
Have you seen the new Kettle chips campaign? Here in the UK, we love our crisps, and Kettle crisps appeal to our love for ‘posher’ potato chips made with simple, good ingredients. The new Kettle chips campaign takes this appeal further with an interesting take on their ‘lovingly handcrafted’ message…
Kettle Foods began back in 1978 with a simple vision, to offer consumers high quality, naturally sourced, great tasting products. In 1982, Kettle crisps was born and by the late 80’s, with the arrival of Kettle foods to the UK from the USA, the British public were taking notice of Kettle crisps. Kettle’s ‘lovingly handcrafted’ message has always been there, and now, Kettle is using this in their new Kettle chips campaign in an interesting way.
In the new Kettle chips campaign, a specially chosen group of sculptors recreates Kettle crisps packets out of different materials to show the association between Kettle chips and craftsmanship. This print campaign will run in newspapers such as The Guardian and The Times and lifestyle magazines such as Delicious and Olive. The Kettle chips campaign will run for three months, which is a great timeframe for exposure. Look out for the Kettle Sea Salt & Balsamic Vinegar packet made from ceramic materials, the Lime & Black Pepper packet beautifully blown from glass and the Mature Cheddar & Red Onion packet expertly carved from wood.
This is a great campaign; it captures the essence of Kettle crisps and offers something different and interesting for the consumer. What’s more, this ‘lovingly handcrafted’ formula is easy to apply if you are looking for an advert campaign with a ‘handmade’ feel that really portrays good, honest, naturally made food.
If you’ve been inspired by the Kettle chips campaign, contact us at Eat Marketing today, we can help you put together your own, creative campaign and make sure you utilise the right channels to promote it. Get in touch for a no obligation chat or meeting and let’s get something started.
Images: Campaign Live
Marketing through Facebook is big news…more and more people are homing in on the fact that it is a great way to reach a wide audience – without going to great expense. Here at Eat Marketing, we know that food Facebook marketing is the perfect addition to any marketing plan, which is why we have put together a handy little guide to our top 10 ways to market your food on Facebook.
Brand image is important for your shop, website and marketing material... and equally important for Facebook. Make sure people know who you are, and that they can see the consistency between your shop image and Facebook page. There are many great ways you can brand your Facebook page, from the logo area to the promotion banner at the top which is the first thing people will see when they land on your page. First impressions count, so make sure you get it right.
This is one of the most precious things Facebook has to offer. Reviews give people a true insight to your food and service without stepping into your shop or restaurant or trying your product. People focus on bad reviews, so even just a handful of these can give a negative impression. So, how do you get good reviews? Just ask! Ask your customers, drive them to the Facebook page by word of mouth or even offer them a prize incentive... this always works. But remember... one of the most important things NOT to do is write your own reviews, this could come back to bite you in the bum in the future. Believe it or not... people do it.
Posting is one thing, but are you posting at the right time? There is a fine line between 2 likes and 20 likes. Get to know your audience; when do they login into Facebook? When are at work? This will help you figure out the best time to post. PLUS... use pictures! The saying is true - images can say a thousand words, and often create a few giggles. Images give a sense of realism and also make your posts stand out in a news feed.
Many people think hash tagging is just for Twitter, but that isn't true... Facebook values hash tags just as much as Twitter, if not more. Facebook searches thrive on hash tags so use them in your posts. But remember not to get too hash tag happy... be subtle and to the point, think about what people search for and as well as what they might share.
Don't bore your customers with promotion after promotion, they will only switch off. Facebook is a social platform and don't forget that. People often fancy a giggle, a funny picture or news articles which is relevant to your food business. Promotions are important but within reason; mix up your business and product posts with a bit of fun.
Did you like these tips and would like to know more? These are just a few of our pearls of wisdom, and there's plenty more where they came from. Eat Marketing can help you to make the most of your social marketing, whatever your food business. Make sure your food Facebook marketing brings the results you need – get in touch today and start planning your next marketing move with us!
Happy new year from Eat Marketing! The start of a new year is the perfect time to think about food marketing plans and we would love to help you find current - and successful - ways to market your food.
Over Christmas, we devised a fantastic marketing offer for food businesses that included a free marketing review and 10% off our food marketing services in January. This is a great opportunity for you as a food business as together, we can discuss and review what you would like to see happen in 2014 and how you can push yourselves forward so that you reach an even wider audience.
What are you waiting for? To take advantage of a no obligation marketing review, contact us today here at Eat Marketing. And remember, you'll also get 10% off our food marketing services in January.
We look forward to hearing from you soon…here's to a successful 2014 for you and your food business.
It’s hard to believe that Nando’s has only been around for 26 years, but the chain has come a long way since the first humble eatery in Rosettenville, South Africa when customers were invited to try the same mouth-watering PERi-PERi marinated and basted chicken we all love today… Now, you’ll find a Nando’s on almost every high street, and they are taking their branding even further this month with the introduction of their new Nando’s Loyalty Card Campaign.
The Nando's Loyalty Card Campaign is deliberately widespread, taking in radio, outdoor and press advertising to ensure that as many people as possible know about the new Nando’s Loyalty Card. For a campaign to work, it’s so important for a business to find their unique personal brand voice – and Nando’s is doing this perfectly. To maximise the effectiveness of the campaign, a strong, simple tagline that fitted with the brand’s ‘sense of fun’ was adopted, and all the adverts in association with this campaign, are linked to it. We will hear that with the Nando’s Loyalty Card, ‘It only works in Nando’s’ and the ads feature a series of situations where people try to use their card in the wrong places, such as coffee shops, libraries and nightclubs when they should be in Nando’s gaining loyalty points! This campaign is the first step in building their voice, and they plan to follow with more advertising over time.
If the Nando’s Loyalty Card Campaign has sparked your interest in customer loyalty schemes and building on your own unique brand voice, contact us here at Eat Marketing today. We can help you discover a whole new side to your food business and come up with a strategy for a strong, effective marketing plan that people will remember.
Get your customers loyal – call us today to find out how!
Keep warm around the bonfire on November 5th with our toasty collection of bonfire night recipes. We’ve chosen our top 5 bonfire night recipe scorchers, so take your pick and enjoy great food under a sparkling sky…
Creamy tomato soup – you can make this in advance and reheat it when you need it. Pour into mugs so you can take a warm sip whilst huddled around the fire.
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
2 onions, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
300g carrots, chopped
500g potatoes, diced
4 bay leaves
5 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp red or white wine vinegar
4 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
500g passata
3 vegetable stock cubes
400ml whole milk
Method
1. Put the oil, onions, celery, carrots, potatoes and bay leaves in a big casserole dish, or two saucepans. Fry gently until the onions are softened – about 10-15 mins. Fill the kettle and boil it.
2. Stir in the tomato purée, sugar, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and passata, then crumble in the stock cubes. Add 1 litre boiling water and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 15 mins until the potato is tender, then remove the bay leaves. Purée with a stick blender (or ladle into a blender in batches) until very smooth. Season to taste and add a pinch more sugar if it needs it. (You can cool and chill the soup for up to 2 days, or freeze for up to 3 months).
3. To serve, reheat the soup, stirring in the milk – try not to let it boil.
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Sweet chilli bangers - sausages are always a hit, and this special bonfire night recipe will make your evening go with a bang!
Ingredients
12 large meaty pork sausages
4 tbsp tomato ketchup
2 tbsp clear honey
2 tsp mild chilli powder
2 garlic cloves, crushed
½ tsp dried oregano or 2 tsp fresh
Method
1. Heat your oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Arrange the sausages in a roasting tin in a single layer and bake for 10 mins. Meanwhile, mix all the other ingredients together with seasoning and 1 tbsp water.
2. Pour the ketchup mixture over the sausages and mix well. Bake for 30 mins more until the sausages are golden.
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Cheesy sausage rolls – these moreish morsels are perfect for bonfire night! They are easy to hold, even for little fingers, and everyone will love them. They take a while to put together though, so you might want to make them beforehand…
Ingredients
500g pack bread mix
oil, for greasing
8 good-quality sausages, cooked following pack instructions and cooled
a little flour, for dusting
50g garlic butter, melted
6 spring onions, finely sliced
200g mature cheddar, grated
Method
1. Make up the bread mix following pack instructions. Set aside somewhere warm to rise, in a bowl covered with oiled cling film, while you get everything else ready. Slice the cooked sausages into just under 1cm slices.
2. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle roughly 50 x 30cm. Brush with half the garlic butter and scatter over the spring onions, cheese and sausages. Roll up the dough tightly from one of the longest sides, like a Swiss roll. Use a sharp, floured knife to cut the roll into 12 pieces. Wipe the holes of a 12-hole muffin tin with a little more melted butter. Push a roll of bread, cut-side up, into each hole. Dab the remaining butter over the tops, and cover loosely with oiled cling film. Set aside somewhere warm for 30 mins to puff a little.
3. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Bake the rolls for 20-25 mins until golden and risen. Cool in the tins for 10 minutes, then lift out to eat warm, or cool.
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Chocolate fondue & toasted marshmallow – perfect for toasting over the bonfire, kids and adults alike will have so much fun!
Ingredients
400g dark chocolate
85g unsalted butter
284ml carton double cream
300ml milk
1 bag marshmallows, for dipping
Method
Put the chocolate, butter, cream and milk into a saucepan, then heat gently, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted and the sauce is smooth. Thread marshmallows onto skewers, then carefully toast on the fire, or leave until cold. Dip into the fondue and eat straight away.
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Homemade toffee apples – this has got to be the ultimate bonfire night recipe! What could be better than a homemade, crisp and crunchy toffee apple?
Ingredients
8 Granny Smith apples
400g golden caster sugar
1 tsp vinegar
4 tbsp golden syrup
Method
1. Place the apples in a large bowl, then cover with boiling water (you may have to do this in 2 batches). This will remove the waxy coating and help the caramel to stick. Dry thoroughly and twist off any stalks. Push a wooden skewer or lolly stick into the stalk end of each apple.
2. Lay out a sheet of baking parchment and place the apples on this, close to your stovetop. Tip the sugar into a pan along with 100ml water and set over a medium heat. Cook for 5 mins until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the vinegar and syrup. Set a sugar thermometer in the pan and boil to 140C or 'hard crack' stage. If you don’t have a thermometer you can test the toffee by pouring a little into a bowl of cold water. It should harden instantly and, when removed, be brittle and easy to break. If you can still squish the toffee, continue to boil it.
3. Working quickly and carefully, dip and twist each apple in the hot toffee until covered, let any excess drip away, then place on the baking parchment to harden. You may have to heat the toffee a little if the temperature drops and it starts to feel thick and viscous. Leave the toffee to cool before eating. Can be made up to 2 days in advance; store in a dry place.
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Have our bonfire night recipes tickled your taste buds? Keep a look out for more tasty and seasonal recipes coming your way from Eat Marketing as we countdown to Christmas. In the meantime, if you need any advice on your own food marketing strategies, give us a call; we’d love to discuss how we could help you.
Happy Bonfire Night!
Are you looking for a job role that will start your career in design? Eat Marketing are looking for a talented graduate to work in our food marketing agency based in Coventry.
We are passionate about food business marketing, and we need an Intern Designer who can think on their feet and bring ideas to the table by creating engaging concepts for web and print communications. For this job role, you will need to show that you have an eye for design and real attention to detail and typography. No previous experience is necessary - this fantastic opportunity offers you the chance to take a job role where you will learn 'hands on', by working in our busy studio and being involved in all areas of the design process.
Submission: To apply for this job role, please send your CV and 3 samples of your work to: jobs@eatmarketing.co.uk.
No agencies please.
