Thanksgiving is a holiday that is typically observed with an overabundance of food. While Thanksgiving leftovers are usually a good thing, they created a real problem for one company back in 1953. With the help of clever marketing, that problem led them to solution the world would be thankful for.
There are various accounts of this story with differing details, however the basic story is consistent. Apparently one year, Swanson Foods over-estimated the amount of turkeys it would need to meet Thanksgiving demand. This abundance of turkeys created a logistical problem for the company that demanded a quick solution. Many stories credit Swanson executive, Gerry Thomas, with the idea of cooking up individual meals of sliced turkey, dressing, peas, and sweet potatoes, and selling them in compartmented trays, similar in design to the ones used for airplane meals. (Back when airlines provided passengers with more than a beverage, peanuts, and baggage fees.)
The packaging of these meals allowed them to be placed directly in a hot oven, and they were ready to be served in about 30 minutes. In a stroke of marketing genius, Swanson tied their marketing of this product in with an exploding new fad called television. They dubbed their new creation a “TV Dinner” and sold it in a box designed to look like a television set. At a price of 98 cents each, Swanson sold over 25 million TV Dinners in the first year. Now that’s marketing to be thankful for!
All of us at Upright Communications are truly thankful this season for family, friends, and bountiful blessings. We count our clients high on our list of things we value and appreciate. We wish you a warm and wonderful holiday!