How Campbell’s conquered holiday marketing
Cooking up an iconic dish isn’t easy, but consistency, simplicity and just a dash of nostalgia are smart ingredients to start with.
While many traditions will be altered this year, one will remain.
On November 26, more than 20 million Americans will sit down to Thanksgiving dinner and dig in to green bean casserole. Most of those dishes will be made with Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom Soup. An incredible 40 percent of annual Cream of Mushroom Soup sales are for use in green bean casserole.
How did Campbell’s earn this coveted spot at the family table? The recipe for marketing success reveals three essential ingredients: consistency, simplicity and just a dash of nostalgia.
A Thanksgiving side dish for the masses
The original green bean casserole recipe dates back to 1955. Dorcas Reilly was a home economist working in the Camden, New Jersey, Campbell’s Soup test kitchen. She was tasked with creating a recipe using ingredients any post-war home cook, rich or poor, would have on hand.
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