Case Study: Spoon Me

Spoon Me - Yo Means Dough

Original Name: Zenyo

The Backstory:

After reading about Eat My Words in HOW Magazine, the founders of a new frozen yogurt chain gave us a jingle. They had a name for the business - Zenyo - but they thought we might be able to top that. As if.

The Company:

This hip new frozen yogurt chain had an eco-friendly edge - they would be the first "green" store in Utah, offering all-natural, low-fat yogurt in two flavors: Natural and Green Tea.

The Challenge:

  • Don't be a Pink Berry copycat and use "Berry" in the name like so many new frozen yogurt stores were doing (as if!)

  • Name has to appeal to everyone from kids to grandparents

  • People should want to buy a t-shirt with the name on it

  • "All the good names are taken"

The Solution:

One of the fastest ways to date a "green" company or product is to use the word "green" or "eco" in the name. Especially with a new retail food chain, which people simply expect to be eco-friendly and socially responsible. No need to put it in the name. Besides, who wants to put something green in their mouth? (There is now a frozen yogurt store called So Green. Ick. Soylent Green, anyone?) We thought the name should transcend the serious "green" message and be more hip, fun and playful.

We presented 100+ names in the first round, including one name that we knew had incredibly potential: Spoon Me. The client agreed. One year later, Spoon Me has experienced phenomenal success and is one of the fastest growing franchises in the country.

Here are some ways that Spoon Me is getting incredible mileage out of their name and monetizing the bejesus out of it:

  • They are making a fortune selling Spoon Me pajamas, underwear, baby clothes, stickers, buttons and of course t-shirts

  • T-shirt slogans include slogans we created like "Shut Up and Spoon Me," and "If you love me, Spoon Me"

  • Before the grand opening of a new location, the sign outside says "Spooning Soon" instead of "Coming Soon"

  • On the front door, the sign says, "No shirt. No shoes. No spoon."

  • For the Utah stores, their "hours" sign says, "No spooning on Sunday."
  • Customers come up with slogans for the bathroom wall, based on famous movie quotes. (For instance, "Mrs. Robinson, you're trying to spoon me.")
  • Spooning contests are all the rage!

The Gushing Praise:

"I don't even want to think about where our company would be if we had not found Eat My Words… We make almost as much money selling t-Shirts that say "Spoon Me" as we do selling yogurt. I could not be more pleased with the help and friendship they have provided and I can honestly say hiring Eat My Words is the best investment I have ever made."

Ryan Combe
Founder, Spoon Me