After a decade or more of marketing exclusivity and premium brands, manufacturers are getting a new image of the U.S. consumers and it’s all about basic brands. Stuart Elliott, in his weekly Advertising column for the New York Times, highlights how marketers are shifting their budgets to the products people are turning back to – ‘old standbys’.  Even consumers who may have rarely cooked before are discovering the savings in the basic casserole.

Elliott’s research shows that companies like French’s foods will be advertising more sauces and other products that extend existing categories. And he notes that Birds Eye has also increased marketing significantly this year.  Sally Robling at Pinnacle Foods Group (Log Cabin syrup) champions the idea that nostalgia is a growing consumer emotion when she says, “[a] lot of times, people are talking about a return to the ‘50s,” but she also points out that marketers are making campaigns relevant to today’s consumers.

Some manufacturers are reaching out to younger consumers with social media campaigns, but spending is up in traditional categories, too, such as magazines. Now might be the best time to contact local retailers of these products, research a co-op opportunity during Co-op Awareness Month, and bring in more revenue for your media outlet.

[Source: Elliott, Stuart. More As for Basic Brands, New York Times, 10.06.09]