Mmm… lasagna… from Tim’s?

As an avid foodie, Li Ming Huang’s blog entry really got me excited. As of Monday, Tim Horton’s officially “launched beef lasagna casserole… on its [lunch] menu”. As mentioned by Huang, Tim Horton’s is adding lasagna (with a side of garlic bread) in order to differentiate itself from fast food giants like McDonald’s.

In contrast to her opinion however, I think that this is a great step forward for Tim Horton’s. When one thinks of lasagna, it’s either home-made, from an Italian/Greek restaurant, or a tasty frozen dinner. This new addition is certainly innovative in the fast food market, especially since none of Tim Hortons’ close competitors (namely McDonald’s and Wendy’s) are offering either items. Furthermore, I agree with that lasagna is a “natural fit” within Tim Horton’s signature comfort food image.

Regarding the fact that the addition probably won’t stop consumers from eating lasagna at pizza chains, one should remember that these places aren’t in direct competition with Tim Horton’s (which belongs in the broader general fast food market). Most importantly, Tim Horton’s is “second to McDonald’s in [the] lunch market”, and this launch only furthers their expansion of customer base to include lasagna-lovers as well.

Re: iPod

I recently read Annie Luk’s blog post on iPods, and I completely agree with her. If Apple decides to get rid of the iPod, their house of brands will significantly diminish in brand power. As she mentioned, iPhones are often seen as unnecessary (and too similar to the iTouch), while the iPad doesn’t seem convenient or practical to me. If there were no more iPods, I certainly wouldn’t be able to see myself purchasing a large touch-screen pad to fulfill my occasional need of portable music.

With Apple’s brand roots built so strongly with iPods, why should they get rid of the most portable products in their arsenal? Despite iPod sales contributing 42% less to Apple’s total revenue now, than before the launch of iTouch and iPhones , it’s still clear that many consumers wouldn’t think twice when deciding between an iPod and a Zune. At the end of the day, it often isn’t about the functionality of the product, but rather the image behind the brand itself.

Check out the article behind her post here: Should Apple kill the iPod?

Photo: Courtesy of Apple Inc  

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