On Mondays and Fridays I feature people who understand what it means to be a brand champion. Those who are passionate about their brand and what it stands for. Most people fail to think about their brand being their name and the associations that others make with their name when they see or hear it. There is one person who clearly gets it. A few weeks ago I was introduced to a new brand in town and its owner. After seeing the name White Girl Salsa, I had to learn more, and knew others would too. Here is what Brand Champion of the Day, Julie Nirvelli shares with us about her brand, White Girl Salsa.
"My company is White Girl Salsa. I’m going to let that sink in for a second. How does the name make you feel? Did it get your attention? Are you curious about it? Do you wonder if it is politically correct? I’ve found that the name of my business, along with the branding, gets people going in one way or another, but mostly in a fun and happy way!
"People
linger on the name for just a bit longer than they would other brands, and this
of course, is what we want. I’m sure Rex knows how many seconds you have to get
someone’s attention and while you’ve got it, you want to keep it as long as
possible. When I worked the farmers’ markets selling White Girl Salsa, hundreds
of people came up to the booth saying they had to taste the salsa
because of the name. Hundreds more walked by and smiled and pointed out the
sign to people they were with. Many came back around for a taste. A couple of
people were disturbed by the name and felt it was inappropriate, but I’m okay
with that. Either way, it gets people talking and thinking. (It actually got
its name from a Hispanic family who loved my salsa so the name really
celebrates different cultures.)
"The brand shouts out a fun and unique product and it’s memorable! Fans of White Girl Salsa love to share it with others by taking it to parties and giving it as gifts. I think this is the ultimate brand compliment – my customers acting as champions, “selling” White Girl Salsa to their friends and family. I can’t tell you how many people say they’ve had it at a party. How often do you even know the name of the brand of salsa being served at a party? Customers ask for t-shirts, more recipes and more ways to experience and have fun with the brand. People seem to crave the salsa as well as the fun spirit of the brand.
"I’m not a
branding expert, nor did I hire one. I just lucked out with a great name that I
didn’t even come up with and branding that is unique in the salsa category.
White Girl Salsa is only a 6 month old business but we hope to play with the
big boys of salsa on a national level in the future."
Rex Whisman
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