[Marshall]

How do you sell something that is both completely new and completely known?

Food podcast host Dan Pashman invented a new pasta shape called cascatelli. And documented it in a (now) 7-part series.

It’s like a “waterfall” with a thick middle and ridges that pasta can attach to.

https://www.sporkful.com/heres-how-to-buy-cascatelli-new-pasta-shape/

Pashman believes there are three characteristics of pasta and his pasta is excellent in all three:

• Sauceability: How readily sauce adheres to the shape
• Forkability: How easy it is to get the shape on your fork and keep it there
• Toothsinkability: How satisfying it is to sink your teeth into it

Here’s the problem:

• How do you convince people to try a new pasta shape when almost no one has ever heard of a new pasta shape being invented?
• Who is the audience for an expensive pasta shape?
• How do you grow the audience of a pasta shape without it becoming a short term fad?

So, what’s your strategy?

 

Discussion

[Dulce Maria]

Fun exercise! Thank you Marshall!

After reading this article, I decided to target the Cascatelli to Italian Americans, so they could end the tradition war with their homeland…

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/sep/18/what-do-real-italians-think-about-new-yorks-italian-food

And this is my strategy, using the four points…

Problem: Italians look with contempt at the US version of pasta dishes.

Insight: Italians came to America so they could do with food whatever they wanted.

Advantage: Cascatelli is a new pasta shape made in America.

Strategy: Get Italian Americans to defend the Cascatelli as the all Italian American Dish.

🙂