Feel the Burn

Those that really know me, know that I love spicy foods and sauces. So much so, that people don’t ask me how spicy something is because, what I consider “not that spicy” is often too spicy to the person that asks. I also must be cautious about how spicy I make a meal for other people, because I tend to add a little too much crushed red pepper, or spicy element to the dish, that most people don’t like. Because of my tolerance for the heat and spiciness, I have yet to find a sauce, or dish, that is too spicy for me. I know they exist. I just haven’t come across one yet.

Spicy food for me gives me an unexplainable rush. If you’ve been on a rollercoaster, that rush is about as close of comparison as I can think of. It oddly enough makes me happy. It’s almost as if I must dedicate my focus on trying to get through the pain, and everything else becomes not as important. And not only do I get a thrill out of trying to survive the heat, I also get a strange thrill watching others trying to fight through the temporary pain, all while craving that feeling.

I recently came across a YouTube show called “Hot Ones” where the host sits down with celebrities and eats 10 chicken wings all with different sauces. These sauces range from Sriracha, which they consider mild and often start with, to insanely hot. So hot that the sauces often caution users to start off by dabbing just a little as to not overwhelm the dish or heat tolerance. The show is very unique and funny at times, because some people cannot handle the heat and must stop.

The most interesting thing about the show, at least to me and from a marketing stand point, is the influence it could have on a brand. All the sauces that are used are available across the country and when a celebrity says that they really like the hot sauce it could have a huge impact on anyone who loves hot sauces. It brings a candid side to the celebrity that is not often seen. I know I have bought a couple hot sauces that have been featured on the show, just to see how hot they really were.

Marketing Opportunity

Over the past month or so, my in-laws have been discussing buying a house that is attached to a campground in northern Illinois that lies on 21 acres of land. The funny thing about this is that they sold their house that was on 8 acres of land to downsize. When discussing this purchase with my wife and I, it was discovered that they were not only going to buy the house, but the campground and all that goes with it. They are going to become business owners and are looking to us to help grow this business.

When I toured the campground and saw the potential, my marketing mind immediately kicked into gear. I started thinking about conducting some sort of marketing research to get insights into the campers mind. The campground doesn’t have any major draw that I could physically see on the campground itself. There isn’t any kind of swimming available on the grounds and is surrounded by corn fields. But that is what makes the challenge fun and exciting.

My main focus will be on the the digital side of marketing. I will be tasked with spreading the word through social media and improving the functionality and look of the website. I’m sure I’ll also be recruited to do some maintenance and other physical labor around the camp ground as well.

I won’t be the sole marketing mind behind this venture. My mother in law works in the marketing department for a major health plan, my wife is a high school business and marketing teacher, and I am pursuing a degree in marketing with a digital emphasis. Between the three of us we should have our marketing bases covered. I am looking forward to applying everything I am learning to good use.