ANCHOR LEAD:
THESE DAYS, IT SEEMS LIKE YOU CAN PERSONALIZE JUST ABOUT ANYTHING... FROM CLOTHING TO i PODS AND CELL PHONES. BUT NOW, THERE'S A NEW CUSTOMIZING CRAZE HITTING THE MARKET... FOOD!
_____ TELLS US JUST WHAT WE CAN DO.

TRACK ONE Length: 06
NEWLYWEDS MARK AND MEGAN LETHROP WANTED THEIR WEDDING DAY TO BE ALL ABOUT THEM... EVEN DOWN TO THE SMALLEST DETAIL.

SOT
KEY @: 08 Megan Lethrop, Just Married
"We got M&Ms with our name on it and the date that we got married."

TRACK TWO Length: 04
THAT'S NOT ALL... THEY EVEN PERSONALIZED SODA BOTTLES WITH THEIR PICTURE.

SOT
KEY @: 17 Mark Lethrop, Just Married
"We used the soda for the toast, so it was cool that everybody got a bottle with our picture on it."

TRACK THREE Length: 07
BRAND CONSULTANT TRACEY REISE SAYS CUSTOMIZING FOOD AND ITS PACKAGING IS THE HOTTEST FOOD FAD. CONSUMERS ARE EATING IT UP!

SOT
KEY @: 32 Tracey Riese, T.G. Riese & Associates
"I think they're going to use it to commemorate special occasions or graduations, or anniversaries, or perhaps family reunions, birthdays. We are seeing an increasing trend in this."

SOT
NO KEY
"It makes you feel famous."

TRACK FOUR Length: 11
RIESE SAYS THERE'S ALMOST NOTHING YOU CAN'T DO. YOU CAN PUT YOUR PICTURE ON A WHEATIES BOX, OR JONES SODA BOTTLE.... WRITE SPECIAL MESSAGES ON M&Ms, HEINZ KETCHUP OR A BOTTLE OF WINE.

SOT
KEY @: 58 T.G. Riese & Associates
"It allows the customer to feel as if they're designing the product, and it brings them more emotionally close, it identifies them directly with the with the product."

TRACK FIVE Length: 04
MOST BRANDS HAVE WEBSITES THAT MAKE ORDERING YOUR ONE OF A KIND GOODIES A SNAP.

SOT
KEY @: 1:12Megan Lethrop, Just Married
"It took you through each step you needed to choose the personalized message and the colors."

TRACK SIX Length: 05
MARK AND MEGAN SAY THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS FUN, AND THE TAILOR-MADE TREATS WERE A BIG HIT.

SOT
NO KEY
"People loved it; they thought it was so cool. It made it fun."

ANCHOR TAG:
REISE SAYS PERSONALIZING COMES AT A PREMIUM PRICE. FOR EXAMPLE, A TWENTY OUNCE BOTTLE OF HEINZ KETCHUP WITH A CUSTOM LABEL COSTS YOU SIX DOLLARS, WHILE A FIVE-POUND HERSHEY'S BAR WITH A SPECIAL WRAPPER WILL COST YOU ALMOST $50. MARK AND MEGAN SAID THEY PAID $250 FOR ABOUT TEN POUNDS OF M&Ms, BUT IT WAS WELL WORTH IT.

SOURCE INFORMATION:

Tracey Riese
T.G. Riese & Associates, Ltd.
140 Franklin Street
New York, NY 10013
646-613-1307

Riese started the company after 15 years on both the agency and client sides of the business, where she saw that many brand strategies fail to make it from the page to reality. She works with businesses, non profits, and cultural and academic institutions to make their brand more effective and inspiring. Riese says one way to do this is by customizing. She says it's a cash cow for companies and brings the consumer closer to the brand.