In the 1950s, General Mills introduced a revolutionary product under the famous Betty Crocker brand. Cake mixes that included all the dry ingredients plus milk and eggs in powdered form. All you needed to do was add water, mix, and bake. For busy homemakers, it was a godsend. However, despite the convenience, the product did not sell as expected. The team at General Mills had to dig deep and figure out why.
To their surprise, psychologists hired by the company found that housewives felt guilty using the product. The cake tasted great, but it was so easy to make that they felt they were deceiving their husbands and guests into thinking that they had put in a lot of effort. They felt they were taking credit they did not deserve, and this led to guilt.
General Mills could have launched a campaign to address the guilt issue head-on. Still, instead, they took a different approach. They made the product less convenient by removing the powdered egg and requiring consumers to add a real egg instead. The new product was launched with the slogan "Add an Egg," and sales of Betty Crocker instant cake mix soared.
Why did adding an egg have such a significant impact? By requiring consumers to put in a little more effort, they felt less guilty while still saving time. The extra work also gave them a sense of ownership and fulfillment, making the creation of the cake more meaningful. By "giving birth" to their tasty creations, housewives felt more connected to the process.
This simple change in the product taught us a powerful lesson about consumer psychology. Many companies sell goods and services that come prepackaged. They can use the "subtraction technique" by taking out a key component and adding back a little activity for the consumer to make the experience more meaningful. It's not just about convenience; it's about creating a connection to the process and making the consumer feel like they have contributed to the final product.
In conclusion, Betty Crocker's egg teaches us that sometimes, less is more. By taking out a component and requiring consumers to add a little more effort, General Mills was able to connect with consumers on a deeper level and make the product more meaningful. As marketers, we can learn a valuable lesson about the importance of understanding consumer psychology and how small changes can make a big impact.
good read