I found Will’s blog through MyBlogLog and his post about eating your own dog food made me wonder can you eat your own and others? How far do you take the issue of company loyalty if your product is actually edible? Here’s a few profiles of my friends’ approaches to their own tasty business (some names have been changed to protect their jobs).

1- Miller Brewing - Most beer drinkers have their favorite brand and Tom is no different. He’s a marketing/promotions guy for Miller and he loves his products. He only buys Miller (always) and after our weekly basketball game, he implored us all to check out their new product, Miller Chill. I have yet to try out their new light beer (brewed with lime & salt), but I will because Tom’s enthusiasm and dedication to his products compel me to help. I’m good like that!

2- Dippin Dots - You may or may not know of the pellet-sized ice cream since they are mainly found in arenas, amusement parks and theaters. But, Nancy is the opposite of Tom. She knows all her flavors and the details of her products (she’s in sales), but will try most anyone’s ice cream and rarely eats her own product when out. She sees it as checking out the competition and who wouldn’t want to eat ice cream and write it off?

3- Taco Bell - Ok, let me quickly clarify. Renee works at Taco Bell’s headquarters, here in Louisville, KY as a part of Yum! Brands, not in the drive thru. Part of her marketing job is to visit random franchisees via a short plane ride and check their POS (point of sale) materials and overall restaurant experience… including food. She only eats “Taco Hell” as a job requirement. She does this bi-weekly and still stays in shape to run marathons.

4- Coca-cola - Jason takes the cake or in this case… he only takes Coke. My buddy works for the HUGE soda company and is as die hard as they come. He won’t eat at a restaurant that serves Pepsi and will struggle to be cordial to you if caught ordering one. Seriously, he feels he should support his company and not be caught dead across enemy lines. He also has “date nights” with his wife where they visit grocery and convenient stores to check his products’ placement. For those who claim to be product evangelists… take a note from Tom and Jason.

Flickr photo credit to Momsof2Kids.

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