After such a disastrous week for Vegemite, the analysis of where they strayed from the highly hopeful path of diversification has begun. I do feel sorry for the poor marketing/pr team. Though, by not being available to the media is just adding to their woes at this stage. (Tim Burrowes 30.09.09)
Smiths Chips are currently running a competition to find the newest flavour to add to their repertoire. They have utilised crowd sourced ideas, four of which have been decided on by an expert panel, including Matt Moran. Now, it is back to the public to vote a winner from those four. User generated all the way!! Not like vegemite, who started with a good campaign, but then let people with no grasp of the ‘connected’ public make the final decision.
So Smiths Chips are at TWO stages during their promotion consulting with their target audience to find the right addition to their product line. I believe if Vegemite had chosen a select number of entries from the 40+ thousand then asked the public to vote, they would have avoided this whole mess.
Vegemite have ended up looking like that uncle wearing a white pleather suit with piano key neck tie trying to get ‘down with’ the kids, while Smiths has and will remain scandal free during this promotion – and be very successful.
These bottles will be worth a fortune one day
@SBSnews is just now reporting that Vegemite will abandon the name and conduct a new poll. Its such a shame. I really hope that this does not affect the long term growth of what is by all accounts, a good product.
I’m still going to buy isnack 2.0 as I believe the bottles will be worth a fortune one day soon 
Leona Skene
Tags: #vegefail
