Week Three | A Choice Snippet in My Media Blog: Morton Salt

    Earlier today I was looking at the supply of seasonings that my family had in our possession for some reason, and I came across a bottle of some salt from Morton. I noticed that I immediately recognized the bottle just by its shape, label, and iconic Umbrella Girl right in the center. So, what better thing to do than talk about Morton's advertising techniques?

This image is one of Morton Salt's many advertisements.

     First, there is the use of the iconic Umbrella Girl at the beginning. It's the first image that our eyes are drawn to, and it's an character that we easily recognize at any place and any time. This is one of the things that has made Morton Salt so well known and a staple in American culture. When we see this Umbrella Girl, we automatically associate the character with the company Morton. Sure, it has gone through a few changes over the years, but it's still basically the same idea. It's still recognizable, and our attention is immediately drawn to her, especially because she's the only thing with color on some of Morton's products. It serves effectively as a lovemark. After all, it stands out and we build some sort of loyalty with it.

     Morton's marketing professionals also use the advertising technique of "Plain Folks". The advertisements says that "she", referring to the impactful Umbrella Girl, is the secret ingredient to what makes mom's food the best. By using the simple word, "mom", it emits a sense of homeliness and the simplicity that comes with being ordinary. Everyone (and I loosely use this term) has a mother, so it appeals nicely to the nostalgic parts of our lives. This product is portrayed to be used by someone normal, exactly like the majority of us. It makes it easier for us to empathize and connect with the product being advertised.

     Another advertising technique that Morton uses is "Weasel Words". One of the things that the small text at the bottom left corner says is that the Morton Season-All Seasoned Salt is a perfect mix of different spices to "give your family the taste they crave". Exactly what taste are we seeking? It's obviously different for each and every family, so Morton purposefully gets very vague with the wording here. With this vagueness, we project our own feelings and needs onto the product and believe it will get us the taste that we want. By not getting too specific, we are more likely to purchase the product to achieve the taste we want. Also, the text says that the product is "the true taste of home cooking". What exactly is the "true taste" of homemade meals? We associate the words from this phrase with whatever memories or ideals we have of home cooking. Normally, these images are something that carry a positive concept or idea with them, such as family. The authentic taste that Morton claims we will taste from using their product is fully defined with our own help when we persuade ourselves to purchase the product.

     Personally, I think the most impressive aspect of Morton's advertisements in general is their use of the Umbrella Girl. She has been around America for so long, and she's the easiest way to identify a Morton product. Focusing any of their commercials, print advertisements, or billboards around the Umbrella Girl seems to be a very effective tactic, considering it even caught my attention (I'm pretty oblivious to advertisements).