Today is Spin a Yarn Day

Today is a day to “spin a yarn,” or tell a tall-tale (story).  “Yarn’s” refer to those long, drawn out stories and myths that were handed down through generations and people are not quite sure of its origin.

Civilizations have been passing their heritage to future generations through narratives or stories handed down through the years.

And people have been “making up” stories about others for just as long. In fact, people make up stories about companies sometimes I think they start because they don’t know or cannot find out the truth so they start rumors.

Take Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookie Myth: Story has it that a woman and her daughter visited Neiman Marcus and had lunch in their cafe. They ordered cookies for dessert and enjoyed them so much they asked for the recipe, which they were told would cost “two fifty.” Assuming that meant $2.50, they gladly accepted the recipe but when they received their credit card charges, they were shocked to find that it meant two hundred and fifty dollars!  That story is not true. It never happened and the women never paid $250.00 for the recipe.  However, because of all the hoopla, Neiman Marcus has created their own reply to the myth by creating a website with the recipe (which they freely give a way). You can find it here: http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/service/nm_cookie_recipe.jhtml. It would be interesting to find out if the mythe helped or hurt Neiman Marcus

And then there’s the marketing stories that are true….

Take New Coke as a good example. April 23, 1985, was a day that will live in marketing infamy.

That’s the day The Coca-Cola Company took a big risk in consumer goods history when they announced they were changing the formula for the world’s most popular soft drink, and spawning consumer angst the likes of which no business has ever seen.

“The Coca-Cola Company introduced reformulated Coca-Cola®, often referred to as “new Coke®,” marking the first formula change in 99 years. The company didn’t set out to create the firestorm of consumer protest that ensued; instead, The Coca-Cola Company intended to re-energize its Coca-Cola brand and the cola category in its largest market, the United States. That firestorm ended with the return of the original formula, now called Coca-Cola classic®, a few months later based upon consumer demands.”

(source: The Coca-Cola Company)

If you’d like to know about more “yarn’s” or myths that have perpetuated and if they are true or not, check out Snopes.com for the real scoop.

Other events on this day:

Swallows return to San Juan Capistrano, CA.

1961 Poppin’ Fresh Pillsbury Dough Boy is introduced
 
1965 Space First Manwalks in space

1965: A Soviet cosmonaut known as Lt. Col. Alexei Leonov exited the spacecraft Voskshod II for a short “spin”. He completed a somersault, and then proceeded to take pictures of space. This took place just days before the U.S. planned to launch its first two-man spaceship and becomes the first man to walk in space.

Crochet Day – no on knows for certain how or when or where crochet first started.  Some say crochet originated in Turkey, others argue China and some even think it may have come from North Africa. The word “crochet” comes from the word “croc: which is French for hook.  However, no one can trace the craft before the 1800′s when written instructions were first published, even though most patterns were handed down through family and friends.

More great marketing ideas can be found in the Quirky Marketing Calendar ~ How to Use Zany and Non-traditional Holidays to Promote Your Business 365 Days a Year! 

 
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