On this 225th episode of “Marketing Today,” I interview Bill Tine, the vice president of marketing at King Arthur Baking Company.
On the show today, we talk about Tine’s refresh of King Arthur Baking’s brand, including the process and research that went into the refresh. We also discuss the impact of the current months on his business and the explosive growth that they’ve had.
We start this episode by talking about some of Tine’s favorite recipes. We then dive into our discussion about King Arthur’s rebrand, which emphasizes their identity as a baking company. Tine shares insights from the rebranding process, including what they learned from consumer research and the value of their core team. Then we learn about how King Arthur has experienced significant growth during the pandemic. Reflecting on this moment, Tine says, “Baking has become at times a new national pastime.” He shares how the company keeps its audience engaged. He says, “It’s really the core of our approach that we want to help and inspire.” He talks about the importance of building your audience so that you can reach out directly to your consumer. This discussion highlights how a company with a long history can rebrand effectively.
Highlights from this week’s “Marketing Today”:
- Bill’s favorite recipe. 01:24
- Bill’s path to King Arthur. 02:13
- King Arthur’s name change and a new identity. 04:09
- Rebranding while staying true to a long heritage. 05:30
- The rebranding process and insights along the way. 07:05
- The consumer research that went into the rebrand. 08:41
- Insights from consumer research. 09:50
- The effect of stay-at-home orders on their business. 12:41
- Ways they had to adapt to react to shifts and demands. 15:09
- Engaging with customers on their baker’s helpline and beyond. 17:21
- Focusing on driving category growth. 20:28
- Advice for marketers who want to engage customers during this challenging time. 22:11
- Bill reflects on an impactful experience. 23:28
- Bill reflects on advice he would give to his younger self. 26:45
- Bill shares about an impactful purchase he made in the last 6-12 months. 27:59
- Are there any brands, companies, or causes that Bill follows that he thinks other people should take notice of? 29:21
- Bill’s take on the top opportunity and threat facing marketers today. 31:45
Resources Mentioned:
- King Arthur Baking Company
- No-knead Harvest Bread Recipe
- Caribbean-Style Rum Cake
- NASA Voyager Program
- Crispy Cheesy Pan Pizza Recipe
- History of King Arthur Baking Company
- 10 Oldest Companies in the U.S.
- Seventh Generation
- REI
- Track Smith
- Uncommon Goods
- Cotopaxi – Marketing Today interview with Cotopaxi founder
- Friends Ranches – Citrus
- Lume Cube for Video Conferencing
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Alan B. Hart is the creator and host of “Marketing Today with Alan Hart,” a weekly podcast where he interviews leading global marketing professionals and business leaders. Alan advises leading executives and marketing teams on opportunities around brand, customer experience, innovation, and growth. He has consulted with Fortune 100 companies, but he is an entrepreneur at his core, having founded or served as an executive for nine startups.