Did Anyone Drink This? The Whole thing?

One of the smartest and longest lasting comments I heard in a meeting came from Tom Long, former CEO at MillerCoors. I was a young ABM - maybe 12 months in role - and for some reason I am standing in the room. I think I was tapped to pour beer or cart in some product. But I was hungry and full of hustle so I was intent on making the most of the opportunity. One of the Brand Directors was introducing an innovation - it was a flavored malt beverage (FMB) in a 24 ounce can.

Tom stared at the can and eyed the sample cup of alcohol. He asked one simple, beautiful and hard-hitting question - has anyone drank the full thing?

The question floated around the room, managers looked uneasy and there was silence. That’s when I started to pay closer attention.

Has anyone here drank the full thing?

What I loved about this question was the customer centricity. Wrapped up in it was curiosity about the beverage experience and our job as brand managers-

• Would it taste any good after 20 minutes?

• What was the effect on someone who drank every ounce of fruity flavor?

• Did we know the product inside and out?

Big lesson for everyone in the room. And big lesson for me. The Frappuccino might taste great on 1st sip, but how’s it going to taste after 10? Do the inclusions in the Refreshers break apart?

Out job is to love products and love the customer. And it is expected that we know the customer and product experience first-hand.