Want Mayonnaise In That Eggnog?

Ah, holiday parties. Friends. Food. Eggnog made with mayonnaise.

Wait, what? Yup, Hellmann’s (AKA Best Foods) is pushing a recipe for eggnog made with mayonnaise. Now, when you consider that mayo is just eggs and oil, there’s a certain logic, though you’ll arguably end up with oily nog.

Some folks love mayo, although Luke Gralia of The Takeout noted; “A thin layer of mayo on a sandwich is fine, but dipping fries into a cup of it? Bring me a barf bag.”

I agree wholeheartedly.

Still, Hellmann’s and mixologist Cody Goldstein have introduced the world to mayo-nog at a New York bar. I wish them good luck with this brand extension.

Brand extension (brand stretching) is a strategy companies use to apply their recognizable brand name to a new product or service. The theory is consumers will know and trust the brand name enough to try it.

This explains Hellmann’s move. It’s also the same concept Spam is attempting with its new Figgy Pudding flavor. It’s not for me, buy hey…I’m a vegetarian.

The bigger question, as they used to say in Vaudeville, is whether it will play in Peoria.

The holidays are a great time to test brand extensions. Partiers have a chance to try something new with relatively little risk. If you get positive feedback, you expand your testing in the new year.

There were lots of food extensions tried last holiday season, including Shake Shack’s Wake And Shake milkshake (geared towards stoners), Burger King’s plant-based Whoppers, and Taco Bell’s Mexican Pizza (now a permanent offering).

This year you’ll even find numerous food brands testing extensions with their merchandise, including Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa-Scented Sweaters and Olive Garden Family Holiday Pajamas.

Regardless of what you sell, you, too, may want to look at extending your own products or services for next year’s holiday season. Introducing new products, services, or merchandise to your existing customer base is easier than you might imagine. However, there’s growing competition for attention, and you’d better find ways to stand out of the crowd.

With 2022’s holiday season almost completed, this is a good time to start thinking about how to expand your offerings for 2023. It could be a huge opportunity for you to grow your bottom line in 2024…and beyond.

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.
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