As long-time branders who are now home trying to balance work with tween sons distance learning, it’s not surprising that a recent chat turned optimistically toward what some of our favorite brands could be doing to increase their role in family life. We decided to share our little brainstorm and see what others might build on to it. First up in our #Pandemprovements, the Meal Prep Kits Delivery category…
Whether it’s Blue Apron, Freshly, Sunbasket or another brand you subscribe to, Meal Prep Kits Delivery companies could do a ton to infuse education into daily activities and make home schooling relevant. Not only would this make distance learning more interesting for kids, it could provide busy moms and dads an opportunity to get more out of their homebound experience. In the same time it takes to prepare dinner, parents could help their child learn, while spending quality time together and contextualizing the core curriculum in a way that increases retention.
We put a little thought into how Meal Prep Kits Delivery brands might evolve their subscriptions to achieve this end. Here are a few of our ideas.
In our first example, we imagined a partnership between Freshly and Little Passports - a company that built their brand around making geography and foreign culture exciting for kids. An offering like this could focus on answering questions like: Where do different cuisines come from; What are some of the hallmarks of that culture; What are some activities you can do to immerse yourself in and learn more about that culture? Below is a quick peek into what that experience might look like - choosing menu items from cultures around the world, then learning more about that culture’s cuisine and customs, and finally earning passport stickers for knowledge achievements.
Blue Apron might modify their brand experience if they looked at what Genius Box does to excite kids about science. Blue Apron could introduce some relevant science and math activities or facts on their recipe card already included with every meal - How does alkaline water make ramen different from pasta, or what are the key ingredients (chemical compounds) that affect alkalinity? Add in some measurement activities, like conversions, and you’ve got a family brainteaser ‘competition.’
And last, what if Sunbasket took inspiration from how Melissa & Doug’s responsibility chart excites kids about building independence and added in some chore thought-starters and P.E. ideas: What kitchen jobs can a child own; How much time does it take to set the table; Would jumping jacks or sit-ups burn off the calories in a carrot faster? All things that build kids’ confidence through doing would be game.
That’s our few, quick ideas about what brands could do today to increase their role in family life, bringing fun and context to learning, and supporting customers during a tricky time for traditional education. None of these ideas require significant changes to a brand's business model nor product formulations. All they take is a little content strategy and design work.
WHAT WOULD INCREASE MEAL PREP KITS DELIVERY BRANDS’ RELEVANCE FOR YOUR FAMILY?
We look forward to reading your ideas and comments. Let’s #Pandemprove the world together, one brand category at a time!
About us
Christina Stanfield is a Brand Commercialization expert and 11-year-old boy / 2 Sheepadoodle puppies juggling novice.
Jeremy Grimes is an award-winning, creative consultant based in Stamford, CT with 2 boys who are very close to finding the last unwatched video on YouTube.