All things branding & marketing. Whether you're early in your career, a solomarketer, or a small business owner, my goal is to support you on your path to brand & marketing success.
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Here’s the story:

Hunting through childhood memorabilia for his baby, this dad found a $1 off coupon for Gerber given to his mom decades earlier.

With no expiration or barcode, he clipped the coupon for his Target run. In a surprise gesture, Target accepted the coupon.

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When Gerber caught wind through TikTok, they seized the moment.

Not only applauding Target’s move, but offering the new parents a 1-year supply of baby products and a tiny influencer wardrobe.

With a message: “Just like our 30-year-old coupon, this offer never expires.”

​Here's the Link to TikTok video with Gerber's response. (I can't figure out how to embed a TikTok into this email for the life of me! Ha!)

Why it Worked: The Emotional Ties that Bind

Research shows that emotional connections drive brand loyalty by:

• Building trusted relationships
• Sparking brand love through genuine interactions
• Creating bonds not broken by satisfaction metrics alone

And for those who will email asking about the ROI of this move.... You know my answer. Ha!

Let's just play with the ROI question here:

While the ROI is hard to predict, the 9.8+ million views, 1.5M likes, and 3.2K shares of Gerber’s response suggest this surprise gesture may get viewers to think more positively about Gerber's brand and perhaps keeps Gerber top-of-mind when they're out shopping for their little one.

But I find it hard to believe this was an ROI move.

Rather, a brand-aligned move that perfectly supports their values and gives back to their community.

Turn Customers into Royalty with Surprise & Delight Tactics:

You may not have a marketing budget like Gerber.

But every business can create special surprise and delight moments to wow customers.

Here are 3 simple ideas to try:

1. Handwrite thank you notes when a customer refers someone new
2. Send a surprise package with a note and a few odds and ends you know your customer will enjoy
3. Personally recognize loyal repeat customers by name

The key is to spark joy and emotional connections through genuine gestures just like Gerber.

Stay true to your brand values, and let simplicity and care guide your approach.

With some creativity, your customers can feel like royalty too - becoming your greatest brand advocates for years through word-of-mouth and lifelong loyalty.

“Once a Gerber baby, always a Gerber baby.” 🙂

See ya next week,

Dani

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