[Matt Landau]

OLD BAY is a limited edition brand that we can emulate.

It is valuable, it is authentic, and it is niche!

What started as a family-owned, locally-headquartered, and specialized spice eventually got acquired in 1990 by McCormick Spice Company (adding to its portfolio alongside brands like Lawry’s, Simply Asia, Thai Kitchen, and Zatarain’s -- which should underscore the VALUE of any niche spice brand when it stays focused. And the longevity of a niche spice brand when it is fiercely valued and preserved.)

At its core, OLD BAY is one thing: a proprietary seafood spice blend.

The recipe hasn’t changed.

The packaging basically hasn’t changed either (it's kinda ugly-cool).

And as a result, OLD BAY developed a cult following putting their stamp on all kinds of complementary products like hot sauce, snacks, aprons, and vodka (I attached my latest research). These complementary products serve the people who love OLD BAY, the original product of which is now in pretty much every supermarket in the USA.

QUESTION: What ideas does the OLD BAY success story inspire for your vacation rental branding & growth strategy?

 

[JanS]

I grew up on Old Bay! Those two words mean one thing to those of us who vacation on the Eastern Shore: Maryland Blue Crabs. How many times have I sat around a picnic table with my family, each of us with a bib, a wooden mallet and a picking tool, building a mountain of crab shells on newspaper? Countless.

Not only did Old Bay create a niche look and flavor...they created a direct connection to summer vacation at the beach. Crabs without that crazy red spice? No way.

So...Local. Niche. Tied to that Place, probably through a shared activity (like eating!). We all can find something of the sort for our places.

Hankerin' for some crab... : )

 

[HeleenaSideris]

I love this parallel!! Leave it to Matt to find meaning in a seafood spice company's legacy. Beautiful.

It's inspiring to see how Old Bay blossomed into an iconic brand, representing so much beyond a simple spice blend. Rich in nostalgia and connections to sunny summer days on the coast. At Park City Lodging we have been building our niche to be the local community connection - our full service concierge and community giveback programs help to connect the guest to more meaningful, authentic experiences, vs. being a faceless PM among many, many companies.

PS - can we get some tasting notes on the OB vodka edition?

 

[Matt Landau]

PS - can we get some tasting notes on the OB vodka edition?

Incredibly smooth..but then again I had already made up my mind that I would love it.

 

[Robin]

Every day we are surrounded by brands - cars, hotels, airlines, credit cards, spices, drinks, and so on that we recognize by their brand. Once we become familiar with a product or an experience we like, we remember the brand. Then if it all works out for that business, we return to that brand, again and again, any time that we want that product or experience. The competition never has a chance once you have become someone's favorite brand.

The fun continues. Once familiar and a "brand fan," people will pay more for it, tell others about it, and buy everything associated with it....so long as you continue to meet their expectations and continue the love affair with your brand. Just like with Old Bay....

It's a huge win if you can accomplish this with your vacation rental business. It hasn't yet been done on a national scale, and people debate endlessly if you even could. But on a local level, where we now see successful examples like Moving Mountains, it can become your super-power, allowing you to hold back and out-perform stronger, more financially established competitors and defend your place in the market.

We have borrowed many elements of what made Old Bay successful. A clear identity that is consistently displayed at every touch point. A consistent and recognizable brand voice, brand standards in our homes, promises made and kept with every guest, and a commitment to guest and owner satisfaction are all elements of our strategy to grow and maintain a brand.

Our packaging hasn't changed once it evolved to a place where we liked it. Our taste - the guest experience - is consistent, as you would hope for a spice you always want to have on hand, and now we are working on the complimentary products - Moving Oceans and Moving Beaches

If you can find your niche, developing your brand is a huge opportunity to build a super strong business.

 

[Matt Landau]

I really love the quick "limited edition" backstory on the back of every box:

"Our unique blend of 18 herbs and spices was born in the Chesapeake Bay area in 1939. It has been made the same way ever since."

This is akin to what I believe many of you should be reiterating everywhere possible front and center in bold: family, local, specialized since XXXX.

 

[davidliedl]

Slow and steady wins the race! If you can create a brand that people connect with at a deep cultural/identity level you're going to be around for a long time! Inspires me to make sure or growth is focused, simple and intentional

 

[MikeW]

Love Old Bay!
My day job is in technology sales and in a previous role I supported McCormick and Company(makers of Old Bay) for over a decade. Prior to supporting this customer I actually wasn't very familiar with Old Bay but I came to love it over the years and now put it on everything. What stands out about the product for me is the cult following and word of mouth advertising. Virtually everyone you encounter in Maryland is an Old Bay superfan and they aren't shy about telling anyone and everyone how great it is.
While Old Bay is a tasty spice, I would have never tried it without the countless recommendations from my friends and clients who raved about it. Much like our vacation rentals, it's important to have a great product that people love, but the ability to get people to recommend our properties to others is what is going to set us apart from the competition and grow our brand.

 

[LanceS]

And now for the rest of the story...or some more back story. Old Bay was founded in 1939. In 1945 a competitor emerged, only a few miles away. That would be JO Spice. While Old Bay became synonymous with Steamed Blue Crabs, JO Spice had it's staunch supporters as well. Old Bay made the big time and went national. When they sold to McCormick in 1990, it was also to a local company. Headquarters were barely 10 miles apart

BUT....when they sold, JO Spice saw an opportunity and capitalized on being limited edition, the family owned brand that didn't go corporate. While they never made it as big as Old Bay, they certainly gained much local support, and too many of the locals, became the seasoning of choice.

When a local brand sells to a large competitor who specializes in scale, the other local businesses will always have an opportunity to increase market share. It's been happening this way since the beginning of time.

 

[RuthM]

I really love the quick "limited edition" backstory on the back of every box:

"Our unique blend of 18 herbs and spices was born in the Chesapeake Bay area in 1939. It has been made the same way ever since."

This is akin to what I believe many of you should be reiterating everywhere possible front and center in bold: family, local, specialized since XXXX.

I need to add "family, local, specialized" to all my touchpoints! Great idea.

Every day we are surrounded by brands - cars, hotels, airlines, credit cards, spices, drinks, and so on that we recognize by their brand. Once we become familiar with a product or an experience we like, we remember the brand. Then if it all works out for that business, we return to that brand, again and again, any time that we want that product or experience. The competition never has a chance once you have become someone's favorite brand.

The fun continues. Once familiar and a "brand fan," people will pay more for it, tell others about it, and buy everything associated with it....so long as you continue to meet their expectations and continue the love affair with your brand. Just like with Old Bay....

It's a huge win if you can accomplish this with your vacation rental business. It hasn't yet been done on a national scale, and people debate endlessly if you even could. But on a local level, where we now see successful examples like Moving Mountains, it can become your super-power, allowing you to hold back and out-perform stronger, more financially established competitors and defend your place in the market.

We have borrowed many elements of what made Old Bay successful. A clear identity that is consistently displayed at every touch point. A consistent and recognizable brand voice, brand standards in our homes, promises made and kept with every guest, and a commitment to guest and owner satisfaction are all elements of our strategy to grow and maintain a brand.

Our packaging hasn't changed once it evolved to a place where we liked it. Our taste - the guest experience - is consistent, as you would hope for a spice you always want to have on hand, and now we are working on the complimentary products - Moving Oceans and Moving Beaches

If you can find your niche, developing your brand is a huge opportunity to build a super strong business.

Love the new venture and website! If you ever think, "Moving...ITALY" I would love to chat.