15 years in prison.
That’s a pretty tough way to find yourself.
It’s not the packaging copy you’d expect to find on a loaf of bread. But Dave’s Killer Bread isn’t just any loaf of bread. It’s the “best bread in the universe”.
And while the brand backs up that claim with talk about the taste and the seeds and the health benefits, Dave’s Killer Bread also has a unique story to tell.
Its founder - who goes by the name of Dave (predictable) - spent 15 years in prison. It was behind bars that he realised he wanted to turn his life into something positive. So he joined the family bakery and worked to bake loaves of bread that were unlike anything else.
When he took his doughy creations to Portland Farmers Market in 2005, they were a complete hit. Now, Dave’s Killer Bread is America’s #1 organic bread.
Turning prison into purpose
Dave’s Killer Bread is a happy story; it’s a real-life example of turning a bad situation into something good. Like The Pursuit of Happyness. Or The Grinch.
They’re a second-chance employer, which means they promise to hire the best person for each job regardless of their criminal history. I mean, Dave is a testament to the fact that a person’s past doesn’t (and shouldn’t) define their future.
The brand has found a purpose that goes beyond making tasty bread for your BLT.
When I work with clients on brand voice development, we often talk about their purpose. Many tell me their purpose is “to create quality products” or “to work with integrity”.
Okay, fine. But how many other brands say the same thing?
Can you find a purpose that’s greater than your product or service? Dig deep. Think of something that’s genuinely close to your heart - not just something you think the world will get on board with. When you find it, don’t just shout about it on your ‘about’ page. Live it. Embody it.
Your audience will resonate with a real story.
Your word bank is your brand’s secret locker
Shh…here’s the code for your brand locker. Don’t tell anyone.
If you’re working on defining your brand voice or creating a theme, the first step (after figuring out who you are) is to build a word & phrase bank.
Grab a pen to brainstorm old-school. And a piece of paper. Or your wall or kid’s arm.
We’re going hard on your theme, which is how you maintain a consistent voice when you’re writing for your business.
For inspiration, some words and phrases that run through the Dave’s Killer Bread messaging include:
- Warning
- Charged up
- Energy
- Killer
- Breadhead Nation
- Shake up
- Greatness
- Rocking
- Power
- Boost
They all fit together into the brand’s story, elevating that energetic, rebellious, rockstar theme.
Here are my favourite tools to inspire your word bank
The thesaurus that spits out words you’d never think of. Incredible at helping you land on new, unique angles.
Crawls quotes, lyrics, proverbs and jokes to give a full, in-colour picture of any word.
Find common phrases about a topic. Great to riff on and spin your own phrases from.
Naming your product
I always thought naming cosmetics would be my dream job. Whimsically looking over eye shadow palettes and coming up with labels like ‘Electric Orgasm’ and ‘Sweet Cherry Pie’.
Other industries aren’t as beautiful, Most businesses just stick a generic name onto their products and hope Google Ads will do the selling for them. Or ChatGBT.
The thing is: Most consumers make purchasing decisions on the fly, based on packaging. At least in physical stores. So you need to pay attention to naming, brand colours, imagery, style and copywriting.
Dave’s is a shining example of that.
Here’s what they have in their pantry:
- Epic Everything Breakfast Bread
- Raisin’ the Roof Breakfast Bread
- Cinnamon Raisin Remix Bagels
- Rockin’ Grains English Muffins
- Cocoa Brownie Blitz
On top of naming your brand in line with your theme, consider micro copy. Look at the chit-chat on packaging from THIS, Innocent and Oatly. It’s like tiny, cute characters live inside your smoothie.
People buy a feeling when they’re dancing on the ceiling
You don’t buy a Rolex to tell the time. You buy one to show your status.
You don’t buy make-up for pink cheeks. You buy it to feel attractive.
When you buy an Apple product, you’re part of the in-crowd.
Let’s take supermarket bread. Do you ever feel thrilled or inspired when you hit the bread aisle each week? Didn’t think so.
But DKB turns that auto-pilot chore into an adventure. It’s like you’re part of something big and rebellious. Loads of this comes from the funky product names, but it’s also about an understanding of the brand’s story - which they tell loud and proud.
Consumers buy into lifestyles. Make them feel a certain way about a purchase and they’re all in.
Dave’s Killer Bread ads
It’s a wild, wild world out there. Which means endless opportunities to place your message.
And placement is everything.
Bad placement: An ad for a deal on white wine on an Alcoholics Anonymous webpage.
Good placement: Basically everything that DKB rolls out.
See the full campaign at Helen Hulsey.
Knead a better brand? (Sorry, couldn’t help myself)
Let’s find a way to break free of your industry. By taking an alternative view, you can build a brand that customers love to associate themselves with.
Email amy@thecopyhouse.uk for a brainstorming sesh.
