Marketing lessons from an artisan condiments company and the Foo Fighters
It's all about inspiration and change this week
Years ago I was asked in an interview, which marketers I followed to get inspiration.
And my answer, I don’t follow any specific marketer for inspiration.
Which wasn’t the answer the interviewer was after and probably why I didn’t get the job.
The reason why I don’t follow anyone in particular is because inspiration is all around us.
And sometimes, you get inspired from unlikely places.
Recently, there have been two campaigns that have grabbed my attention.
One for a “legacy” brand that’s going through some changes.
And the other, for a brand I’d never heard of before, but have been really vocal about a new product they are launching in a very competitive marketplace.
Neither of these brands have anything to do with B2B Marketing.
But how both of these brands are communicating with their audience, is relevant for all brands.
So who are the two brands?
Foo Fighters
Condimaniac
Let’s start with the Foo Fighters
There’s been a lot of change in the Foo Fighters over the past few years since the death of their drummer, Taylor Hawkins.
They hired a new drummer…and recently fired him.
But what I wanted to focus on is how they acknowledged their 30 year anniversary and also set the stage for what’s to come.
Along with announcing a few shows for the second half of 2025, they launched a Substack channel.
Where they published an article for each album they’ve had over the past 30 years. Taking their fans back in time and on a journey with them.
The piece of communication that really stood out though, was the final post, Today’s Song.
It was a post where Dave went right back to the beginning.
Told the story of how Foo Fighters were formed.
Acknowledged the people who’d been there supporting them, from behind the scenes, throughout the years.
Thanked all the past drummers.
And as far as I’m aware, made his first public comment (outside of a show) about Taylor and the impact his death has had on the band.
He then went on to talk about change, to talk about the fact it’s inevitable in life.
To highlight that the band is going to keep moving forward.
You can listen to Dave narrate the article below.
So what can we learn from the Foo Fighters?
I worked for a couple of legacy brands throughout my career, one was considerably more legacy than what Foo Fighters are.
And in both companies, there was resistance to change at the very top. It was hugely frustrating and demotivating.
What I love about the Today’s Song article is this:
First and foremost, it’s the storytelling. The journey of how the band came to be, right through to where they are today.
Acknowledging the change that’s happened and the change that’s to come. The loss of Taylor was huge for both the band and their fans, one still being felt today.
Letting their fans know that they’re going to keep moving forward, and that things won’t be the same as before because evolution is necessary.
They released new music. Giving something back to the fans and, potentially a taste of what’s to come.
And what’s important for any brand that’s navigating change, especially a legacy one, is that you have to accept that things are going to change, they’ll be different, it will feel uncomfortable, some people will love the changes, some people will resist with all their might and you might have some people who don’t want to go on your new journey - and that’s ok, because there are very few things that can stay the same forever.
Who are Condimaniac and what have they been up too?
Until a few weeks ago, I’d never heard of Condimaniac.
Then the following reel popped up in my Explore page, and I’ve been hooked on their story ever since.
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So who are they? They’re a small, artisan, condiments company in the UK.
Not only do they have a great name and some epic branding, they found a gap in the market and went about solving it.
Ketchup…100% British Ketchup.
They wanted to create it, and have it stocked in Jeremy Clarkson’s pub (sidenote, I love Clarkson’s Farm, not only is it super funny but it’s a great piece of marketing to generate awareness for British farming - and the challenges they face.)
So they jumped in, and took everyone along for the ride.
They’re telling everyone who they are. They’re highlighting the process to make the product. They’re being open about the challenges they’ve faced. They’re being very open around costs. They’re celebrating their success.
They aren’t trying to be Heinz (not that there’s anything wrong with Heinz).
They’ve also taken advantage of all the new traffic, followers and media interest to promote their existing products.
And they are doing a great job at setting expectations. They’re a small business, who’ve generated a lot of interest in a short period of time, and they have more demand than product (the nice place we all want to be in).
They did a great job of managing expectations in their latest video:
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Even though the chances of me ever tasting their 100% British Ketchup all the way in Australia is pretty slim, I’m hugely invested in their story and can’t wait to follow on.
So what can we learn from Condimaniac?
If you’re a challenger brand, and you spot a gap in the market - go for it!
Here are three things I really love:
They are staying true to who they are. They have a great brand and manifesto and they are sticking to it. And they’re growing their community because of it.
Their communication is fantastic. Sharing the why, the highs, the lows and everything in between - they’re building in public and it’s working for them.
I imagine their marketing budget is on the smaller side, and they’ve found a way to cut through all the noise, in a very cost effective way - by being different and grabbing attention.
And two bonus ones:
They’ve set expectation on cost and availability. They aren’t Heinz, their product is made in small batches, with ingredients that aren’t cheap - which means, they’ll have limited stock and it’s going to be a premium priced product.
They’ve said no. Probably one of the hardest things for any business to do. Say no to potential revenue. They know they can’t meet the demand they have, so they’ve had to say no to some stockist requests. And this is a super smart decision.
Three key takeaways for marketers
Inspiration for B2B marketing is everywhere, not just with the “gurus” or traditional sources. You’ve just got to look.
And when it comes to change - either leading a legacy brand through change or being a challenger brand disrupting a market - storytelling and open communication is key.
When change happens, not everyone is going to come along for the ride, and that’s ok. Just like the Rabbi and Lobster story in the Foo Fighters article, growth means shedding layers to make way for something new.
Lead the Shift - waitlist closing tomorrow
And if you’re driving change in your organisation, then you need to attend my upcoming session - Lead the Shift.
The waitlist is closing tomorrow, and anyone on it will get a lovely exclusive discount for the session.
We’re going to cover lots about how marketers can drive internal change in their organisation.
From managing stakeholders, to those blocks that come up, right through to communication styles (hello DISC) and how to frame your message.
I’ve driven change with the full support of leadership, and I’ve been the person quietly pushing things forward from behind the scenes when no one was paying attention.
And I’m going to share my experience and tips with you.
For all the details, and to join the waitlist: https://debbiegainsford.com/lead-the-shift
This weeks song
If you’ve made it this far, thanks! Here’s the brand new Foo Fighters song.