Kix it to the curb

kix2We’ve all heard of stories how the mom used to drag the entire family to church, right? There must be some heavenly market research somewhere backing up this stereotype. So why don’t most churches appeal to the moms?

I can see the ads now: “Moms, you can trust in your kids’ salvation at our church, because we know dads don’t have a history of doing it.”

Let us bow our heads and thank heaven above it’s a good thing churches don’t behave like the makers of Kix cereal.

On the front of their famous yellow-orange box you can’t even find the word “cereal” emblazoned, but you certainly can find a rectangle larger than the General Mills logo itself proclaiming their longtime slogan, “Kid-Tested, Mother-Approved.” And they even have this saying copyrighted!

If it wasn’t clear yet as to exactly who they want to pick up and buy their cereal, simply turn the box slightly.

They used the side panel to include a “Message to Moms…” where they promise mothers that they’ll give kids the best of both worlds, nutrition and great taste. Below this is a “Kix Assurance,” proclaiming that “for over 70 years, moms have trusted our commitment to good nutrition.”

The 800 number comment line is listed under all of this, and it makes me wonder if a dad would even dare call it after their promises and claims to moms all over. Dads might need to make a deal with the devil to ever get this cereal to change.

Kix, you’re in my prayers. Amen.

Exclusion

exclusionDid you ever not get invited to something?  Did someone forget you at roll call time?  Was your name ever left off a list?

No one likes to be left out.  Exclusion is a dirty word.

But that’s exactly what companies all over America do everyday, and it’s more than hard to believe.

In today’s world of money-drives-everything, what major corporation — with hundreds or thousands of employees — would forget to look under every single profit stone possible?  What marketing department would miss the obvious, low-hanging fruit?  What president/ceo (and their board) would allow all this to be missed, after years and years of operation?

If you’re a dad, you may already know what I mean.  You’ve been left out.

Take a look at the marketing of products and services around you, and you’ll be surprised to find many major brand names pitched largely to moms.  Our great nation demands equality and political correctness (via the media), yet this is a form of old-fashioned, reverse consumerism discrimination.

Why is this so?  Let’s use this site to discuss.