As a marketing professional I am the first to appreciate good marketing. I love analyzing a company brand and I love it when my boys talk about company logos and what they like about them. The latest kick the boys are on is car companies. No matter where we are they are pointing to cars and the accompanying logo and asking me what make and model it is. Gannon seems to have an affinity for Toyota right now. I have concluded it is simply because the word “toy” is in the brand name. Good for you Toyota, hook ‘em while they’re young.
Just as much as I appreciate good marketing, I can tear something apart like a hungry bear at a camp site. For instance, what is up with TV dinners? I have already admitted on countless occasions that I do not like to cook. I CAN cook, I just don’t like to. On the days the boys are with me, I make sure that we eat a well balanced meal prepared with love. However, the days I am flying solo I typically eat something quick. Quick usually comes in a box.
According to Wikipedia, “The name TV dinner came from the shape of the tray it was served on. The main entree was in a bigger compartment on one side of the tray and the vegetables lined up in smaller compartments on the other side. The arrangement was similar to how the front panels of a 1950s television set: a screen on the left and speakers and control on the right. There were other theories about the naming of the TV dinner. One reason that TV Dinners have their name was because their early packaging featured the image of a TV set. Another reason was that many families would eat these in front of a TV set.”
So my issue does not arise from where the name of TV dinners originates. My issue is with the portions of food in the image on the front of the box, versus the actual size of the food IN the box. At first I thought the packing company was accommodating for growth during microwave time. Now, I compare it to the extra air space in the bag of Doritos the kids love.
Maybe I should just change the channel if I don’t like what is on and stop buying these things. The amount of preservatives can’t be good for me anyway. That’s a whole other topic all together though.




