On Strategy Showcase cover image

On Strategy Showcase

Pot Noodle's brilliant, Effie-winning response to a failed product launch

Oct 13, 2024
Tom Claridge, Head of Strategy at U-Studio, Unilever's in-house digital agency, shares insights on turning a failed Pot Noodle launch into a marketing triumph. He discusses the power of humor and self-deprecation in regaining consumer trust. Inspired by brands like KFC, the campaign embraced honesty and creativity on social media, leading to remarkable sales recovery. Claridge also highlights the agility of U-Studio and the significance of authenticity in brand messaging, making a compelling case for innovative strategic responses in challenging market conditions.
42:26

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Pot Noodle successfully leveraged humor and honesty to redeem a failed product launch, creating a relatable narrative that engaged consumers.
  • The campaign's focus on understanding consumer sentiment post-COVID allowed Pot Noodle to rebuild trust, resulting in significant sales and market penetration growth.

Deep dives

The Importance of Acknowledging Mistakes

Acknowledging mistakes is crucial for brands, as demonstrated by Pot Noodle's campaign following a product failure. After their new 'Lost the Pot' flavor line received detrimental feedback, rather than defending the product, they decided to own up to their errors in a humorous and self-critical manner. This approach was inspired by successful precedents set by prominent brands like Carlsberg and KFC, which had previously admitted their shortcomings to connect with consumers. The decision to embrace honesty rather than traditional branding tactics allowed Pot Noodle to rebuild trust and credibility with its audience.

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode