Biggby sent me an email the other day about B’ing creative from a caffeinated perspective.  The email was a shout out to invent a new flavor – a new Biggy Bear drink for their recipe books.  The inventor of the winning recipe would win a new iPad or an iTouch.  The invention process on the site is pretty basic.  Users choose whether their drink invention is hot or cold; choose up to three of eighteen flavors to add to the coffee; and then they name their creation. 

Biggby’s Coffee Invention is more of a contest than crowdsourcing, especially when you compare it to the mother of all coffee crowdsourcing sites — MyStarbucksIdea.com.  My Starbuck’s Idea is about passion for the brand.  Passion for coffee.  Passion for ideas.  Since the site launched in March 2008, members generated over 75,000 ideas.  Ideas are not limited to the product.  They also include suggestions to improve the experience (e.g. ordering, atmosphere, locations) and brand involvement (e.g. community building, social responsibility).   

Me-Too or Us-Too Strategy
Can (or should) Biggby do a “me too” strategy?   Maybe.  Several things about Biggby you may or may not be aware of (some of you may not be even aware of the brand).  Biggby is growing.  They currently only have 100 locations — primarily in the midwest.  So they are not the behemoth of a Starbucks, Caribou, or Dunkin Donuts.

Their current growth may be an advantage.  Biggby can be the up-and-comer — the new kid on the block.  As a brand builds its base of operation, they also need to build their base of fandom.  For example, Sonic Drive-in just moved into my area.  When the long anticipated location opened, the buzz was thick, because fans who experienced Sonic elsewhere were talking.  They were passionate.  Non-fans noticed the passion and wondered what the excitement was about.  My friends noticed.  My wife noticed.  I noticed (however, I am still grappling going to a drive-in when it is snowy, 28-degree day in Michigan — I think we will wait ’til spring). 

Biggby’s strategy shouldn’t be “Me-Too” rather it should be a ”Us-Too” strategy.  Their goal should be to build passion.  A passion people have collectively for the brand (“Us” instead of “Me”).  Biggby should build a fan base in whatever methods make sense.  Methods begin with destinations like facebook, YouTube, and the Biggby web site.  You need places for people to congregate.  Places to share their passion.  And sharing their passion requires active participation from the brand.  Although it is nice for the 9,789 facebook fans to give shout-outs to Biggby — Biggby needs to engage their fanbase to cultivate the passion.  They need to engage them online.  Engage them in their retail locations.  And maybe engage their fanbase through crowdsourcing.

What about Biggby Crowdsourcing?  The idea behind the current flavor invention engagement is worthwhile, but at the same time it seems stifling.  It would have been nice to allow people a little more creativity by adding their own flavors (and vary the amount per flavor).    Truly allow coffee recipe experimentation.  Regardless of the nuances, this kernel of an idea can be the beginning to increase fan engagement in the brand.  The engagement could lead to other aspects of the business (just like Starbucks).  The advantage to this invention loop would allow people to feel a part of the brand.  Feel they have a vested interest in Biggby’s future.  And with “feeling” will become passion.  A passion for Biggby.

National Humor Month
National Card and Letter Writing Month
National Poetry Month
National Kite Month
National Straw Hat Month
National Grilled Cheese Month

Kraft Singles would like you to observe the month by going to their site, I Heart Grilled Cheese, and write why you love Kraft Singles in 50 words or less. Kraft will draw 500 winners per week to receive a free package of Kraft Singles.

According to Ad Age (”Kraft Pays Homage to Grilled Cheese“), Kraft will also be hosting the largest grilled cheese cooking competition. The event called the 1st 7th Annual Grilled Cheese Invitational, will be held on April 25th in Los Angeles.

http://adage.com/article?article_id=135824

Okay, initially I thought grilled cheese would have as much enthusiasm as the straw hat. However, the more I researched the grilled cheese, the more I found an enthusiastic undercurrent sandwich (or “sammich” per the grilled cheese enthusiast). As you can see from the YouTube video (1st 6th Annual Competition on YouTube), attendees really get into the event. A lot of the enthusiasm comes from the creativity of sandwich assembly. For example, there are three categories in the competition:

The Missionary Position: Your standard grilled cheese: basic bread, butter and cheese.
The Kama Sutra: A freestyle category where the only requirement is the sandwich is 60% cheese.
The Honey Pot: Think grilled cheese for desert.

So is Kraft building on the passion?

Although Kraft believes they will be overwhelmed with responses (per Ad Age), I find their experience underwhelming. The “I Heart Grilled Cheese” site is a one-page site where users can enter their 50 word love note to Kraft Singles—yet none of the entries are published, shared, or voted upon. In fact Kraft isn’t sure what they will be doing with the notes. They may “possibly” put them on the Kraft Singles site at a later date.

In my opinion Kraft should take the enthusiasm from the invitational and generate a month long experience online—Think UGGC (User Generated Grilled Cheese). The site would be a true national celebration of the iconic sammich. The UGGC would be entered (and awarded) by category (expanding on the invitational categories), and entrants would submit a photo/video of their creation along with a corresponding recipe. The UGGC content would be wrapped in an online community (think UGGC site + facebook + youtube) where people can comment, vote, and share the recipes.

With all that said, if you are still not a fan of grilled cheese, stay tuned, May is National Hamburger Month. I wonder how Wendy, Ronald and the King will celebrate?

What are the odds?

In Michigan — 50/50. Where Pennsylvania has Punxutawney Phil to predict spring, Michigan has Pothole Pete. Sure Pete doesn’t predict spring, he just makes Michiganders count the days until spring. Potholes are so common, Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has an illustrative guide to pothole creation (The Birth of a Pothole).

Belle Tire is taking advantage of increased pothole awareness with a worst pothole contest. Michiganders can submit a picture of the worst potholes in Michigan to win a trip for two to Cancun.

Three finalist will be chosen later this month with a winner selected in April. Belle Tire has competition for their pothole contest: the State of Michigan. The 2009 Drive MI Pothole Contest is underway. The second annual contest has are over 25 submissions to date. The best four pictures win $318 each.

The two contests have an interesting relationship. The MDOT contest is sponsored by the government agency who is suppose to repair the potholes. The Belle Tire contest is from a company who will benefit from tire damage caused by the potholes. If you find yourself in Michigan with a pothole induced flat, my advice is it to take a picture, enter the contest, and hope to win. Reason being, you have a better shot of winning the contest than getting Michigan to reimburse you for your damages. The following is an excerpt from the MDOT Damage Claim web site page:

If you believe your vehicle has sustained damages on a state trunkline, from a pothole or other cause, you can contact the MDOT office in the region where the damages occurred, about filing a damage claim. The state will consider an award only for the damages beyond what has been paid by your insurance company, and the state must have been aware of the pothole for 30 days without repairing it in order for a claim to be eligible for reimbursement.

My favorite line is “the state must have been aware of the pothole for 30 days without repairing …” On the bright side, only 20 days until spring.