Sometimes, it’s as simple as a reminder. Like the shopping list scribbled on the back of an envelope stuck on the fridge behind a magnet in the shape of a palm tree. Nothing very creative about that, now is there?
But while maintaining brand awareness doesn’t sound as exciting as launching a new product, re-inventing the category or putting the "new" back into new media, it has its own subtle appeal.
Recently I wrote about the current John West campaign and how it could make shoppers re-appraise their attitude to a classic staple of the kitchen cupboard.
Today, it’s the turn of another brand that’s there since the beginning of brands – Lea & Perrins.
Like many of its contemporaries from the 1800s, it’s a genuinely unique product, its recipe is a closely guarded secret.
From its origins in Worcestershire, it became the first and one of the most successful ever commercially bottled condiments in the US. Which is ironic given that Americans struggle to correctly pronounce the Midlands county.
You may have your own favourite foods that must include a dash of the brown liquid. For some, the little bottle has to live in the drinks cabinet as well as the kitchen, thanks to the invention of the Bloody Mary in Harry's New York Bar, Paris, 1921.
And that’s the heart of the matter – we all need reminding that good old Lea & Perrins is incredibly versatile. So why not try it in something else?
The 48-sheet poster up at the moment does just that. It’s crafted as carefully as the product itself. With a stonking one-word pun headline. Nice. OK, it doesn’t break any moulds. Why should it? On a journey with ads assaulting people on every side, it got itself noticed and made its point. With a smile. As Facebookers say, we like.
Simon S Kershaw is a creative consultant and a former creative director at Craik Jones