Is There Lead in Those Cookies?!?

It’s that time of year again, when even the best intentioned New Year’s Resolutions kowtow to the almighty Girl Scout Cookies.  I consider myself a solid Girl Scout Cookie supporter and this is the first year that I have seen LEAD cookies in the Girl Scout Cookie family. . .

Apparently someone in the cookie department at the Girl Scouts is not familiar with homographs (words that are spelled the same but have different pronunciations and meanings).  Clearly, this cookie brand is Shout Outs!, but the cookie is branded with an imprint, that says LEAD, like lead paint in your children’s toys.  Yes, the word LEAD is slanted on the cookie like a team pendant, but still.  I can’t be the only one who notices this double entendre when visiting the Girl Scout Cookie website.  This is the kind of stuff the Daily Show and Colbert Report researchers live for, right?  (If they cover this too I better become famous, though I’ll settle for becoming a researcher for them.)

From a branding perspective, why would anyone want to expose their product to jokes or criticism?  Worse yet, the Girl Scouts have an inspirational branding campaign called “What Can a Cookie Do?”  Well, I ‘m sure we all can think of a few not-so-good things a lead cookie might do. . .  It’s the Girl Scouts’ thinking that befuddles me on this one.

BrandGeek Takeaway: It is important to consider each aspect of the consumer’s experience with your brand.  Branding is not just about names and symbols; it encompasses the entire experience your audience has with what you’re selling.  Pay attention to context and details because others will be.