Director 
f Taste 
Connecting the dots #83
Do not believe your customers
At least not everything they say. Another proof that sometimes intuition is more than the opinion of focus groups is in our first link.
Marketing and media
#1 This week, we are celebrating the 20th anniversary of Starbucks’ seasonal drink, Pumpkin Spice Latte. Its launch in 2003 caused a frenzy, and since then, many brands, including Oreo and the most famous craft beers, have tried to replicate this success. However, when surveyed, Pumpkin Spice Latte ended up at the bottom of people’s preferences. The idea of coffee with pieces of pumpkin simply seemed repulsive to them. No wonder. Nevertheless, Starbucks decided to introduce the novelty to the market, and in its first few years, it became the most popular limited edition item of all. Sometimes, you just have to trust your instincts… and Starbucks’ food scientists.
#2 Creative approaches can still be amusing, even when done several times by different brands. This time, like many other brands, KFC is burying (literally) one of its products based on customer suggestions.
#3 How to make a good story even better? You’ll find the answer from the creators of South Park.
#4 Moreover, Nathan Baugh has put together 25 fantastic tactics that will turn you into better story builders. You can find all of them on his website.
#5 Nude Dinner Parties are currently a hot trend. If there’s a bold marketer reading this, let’s capitalize on it!
#6 Just when we thought the reach of digital advertising couldn’t be a bigger scam, made-for-advertising websites came along. Bots, inactive accounts, MFA… What percentage of ads are even viewed by real people? And why are we playing around with banners when there’s a good chance no one sees them?
#7 What do songs sound like in the language of brain waves? Inspiration for a music-based campaign.
Life
#1 A profession to keep in reserve. Are you also fascinated by the metaverse? According to DRUM, executives in metaverse divisions of the world’s largest brands (e.g., Gucci, Disney) have a short lifespan. After a few months, companies don’t know what to do with them, and the virtual bubble bursts.
#2 The Met (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) is on Roblox. I might give Roblox a chance.
#3 Once again, my favorite section is new trendy expressions. This time, it’s a “parasocial relationship.” This phenomenon leads followers to believe that they have a close association or even friendship with the personality they follow. This relationship is one-sided – often, the content creator may not even know the viewer exists. More in the article: Why content creators can sell anything to their followers.
#4 A great thing! If you have yet to hear of code poetry, this link will provide you with all the necessary information to fall in love with this new art form.
#5 Is it still okay to include a link to Twitter in newsletters, i.e., X? If yes, Incel Pickup Lines is a profile with the worst lines for approaching women online. I promise that when we all have Threads, we’ll bury X for good.
#6 And one more very nice piece of news. The Center for Honeybee Research in the USA selects the honey that wins the title of the World’s Tastiest Honey every year. Guess who they awarded it to this year. 🙂
And finally, some sadder news. After 83 editions of the Connecting the Dots newsletter, created during the pandemic as a source of inspiration for our colleagues, this is my last one. With tears in my eyes and on my keyboard, I bid you farewell, and I hope to meet most of you at events or virtually on LinkedIn. Keep inspiring!
With love,
M.