Why are there fake grapes in the meat department at the Deli?
My two daughters and I were at the grocery store the other day, and my about-to-turn-five-year old asked a great question: “Why are there grapes with the meat [at the deli]?”
It’s a great question, and one that I never really stopped to think about before. They look nice, but what’s the underlying marketing reason for this?
So I wondered out loud with her, and we came up with an idea that grapes don’t usually stay fresh for very long – maybe a few days or a week before they go bad.
The answer we “found”: When the (fake) grapes are mixed in with the meat, it creates an underlying psychological association that the meat is very fresh too (even though it’s wrapped in plastic and often stuffed with preservatives).
It’s a great way to use one trigger (fresh grapes) to create an impression that the meat is also fresh, too.
Sometimes it takes a child’s wonder of the world to ask a question that makes you really look at how things are marketed.
Have you seen other examples like this? Let us know…