Jimmy Corr, Marketing Services, Bord Bia – Irish Food Board
Recent Food Alert articles have addressed the emerging trends around escaping life’s pressures; we have read about switching off, Scandi wellbeing and the return to family time. Bord Bia’s Consumer Lifestyle Trends Programme (Creating Headspace) advises that “there is a growing appetite for user-friendly solutions that help manage mood and facilitate headspace”.
Most of us are by now familiar with the term Mindfulness - a state of being, whereby people pay more attention to their thoughts and feelings while in the present moment. The technique has been used for centuries in Buddhist traditions but has become more mainstream in recent years. Along with meditation, Mindfulness is now being incorporated into daily activities such as working, walking and even eating.
Chocolate for instance, has been linked to improved brain function, energy levels and various other unsubstantiated health benefits in the past. A recent article from the ConfectioneryNews.com referenced a Mintel report which now suggests that confectioners “would be better served by leveraging chocolate’s emotional connection”. That report found that 24% of British consumers bought chocolate in the previous three months “to boost their mood”, while 64% of Chinese consumers agreed that “eating chocolate is an effective way to relieve stress”.
Furthermore, a more recent article from the same magazine quoted research which suggests that the consumption of chocolate “increases positive mood, but such effects are heightened when it is eaten mindfully”. Interestingly, the positive effects are strongest when smaller portions are consumed, which aligns nicely with the on-going trend around health and wellness.
The term “flow” coined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is very closely associated with mindfulness, and refers to the mental state of being fully immersed and focused on a specific activity. It too is being picked up by food brands.
Mindfulness and Flow in food branding and advertising
Let us consider how some food and drink companies have positioned themselves in this space.
(1) The Laughing Cow has moved its advertising focus from promoting a quick, on-the-go, low-calorie snack to a message that encourages consumers to “sit down and savour that perfect snacking moment with The Laughing Cow® cheese”.
(2) UK snack company Mindful Bites has a whole ethos of mindful eating, and talks about “changing behaviour one bite at a time”.
(3) Lucozade Ireland riffed off the term “flow” in their “Find Your Flow” ad campaign, identifying with a younger audience who are aiming to immerse themselves in daily routines without the interference of other distractions.
It is interesting that the characteristics of good branding appear to align closely with those of Mindfulness and Flow. Whether focusing on the intrinsic awards in enjoying each bite of a snack, or the satisfaction of being immersed in a particular task, the above brands are all aiming to connect with their audience through empathy and compassion, with insight and direction.
How mindful can you be with your brand?
For more information contact Jimmy.Corr@bordbia.ie