Be Responsive to the FBLA [Future Brand Loyalist of America]

Recently, classmates from my early days and I have been reminiscing over Facebook posts of our old classroom photos.  Reflecting upon that time made me realize that my favorite year during elementary school was 4th grade.  I had a teacher that made waking up and going to school easy-peazy.  Mrs. Golightly ... an easy-going teacher with an easy-going name.  But there was one assignment that put her name to the test.  I remember it like it was yesterday.  Actually, I remembered it today when I reached for my morning glass of orange juice. Allow me to explain.

A good place to form brand loyalty

One day in her effervescent style and motherly voice,  Mrs. Golightly started class by announcing, "I want you to write a letter to a company of your choice.  In this letter you will be asking the company for product samples and brochures."  My 4th grade brain thought that Mrs. Golightly has grossly overestimated our writing abilities.  I couldn't spell my 1st name just a few years before that day.  How the heck does she expect us to write a real letter to a real person?  

We looked at each other scratching our heads thinking of which companies we would send our letters.  Mrs. Golightly made things easier by suggesting we write the companies where our parents worked.  This option was not available to me.  My folks worked in the financial industry so, requesting samples of balance sheets would have resulted in serious playground ridicule.

After careful consideration, a light bulb turned on in my head and I started writing to my favorite orange juice maker ______ ... let's just say the brand rhymes with moonfist.  My Mom always had it in the fridge and at the time and I was drinking OJ like it was required to live.  Writing my letter I remember my mind racing as I imagined how great it would be to open a box of oranges or maybe juice boxes that I could share with my classmates.  I would reach an unimaginable level of coolness and it would probably get me the coveted front of the line spot for the monkey bars.  My feet were floating as I stamped my letter and walked it over to Mrs. Golightly's desk.  

A week had passed and our classroom was filled with excitement and corporate responses.  A classmate of mine who's father worked at Duncan Yo-Yos was the envy of the class.  And when the huge box from Frito-Lay arrived it was like Elvis had walked in.  There were sunglasses, soft drinks, hair brushes, t-shirts, pilot wings from the Eastern Airlines and even a toy alligator from The Okefenokee Wildlife refuge.  Know what was missing?  You guess it.  A response for my letter and Mrs. Golightly grew more impatient with each passing day.

Well, after a 2nd week had passed Mrs. Golightly sat me down and congratulated me on a well written letter.  Even though my letter didn't receive a response she handed me a copy of my letter with a great big "80" written in red ink.  Mrs. Golightly added her special touch by making the "0" a smiley face.  You see, I received a 80 because I was unable to complete the assignment which was to write a thank you letter to the company for their kind response.  

From that day forward my parents didn't allow that brand of OJ to return to our fridge.  Years after the 4th grade I ran into Mrs. Golightly.  We had a good laugh when she told me that brand of OJ never darkened her fridge again either.  Now for me, I've have forgiven the unresponsive OJ company long, long ago.  However, this morning when I reached into my fridge for a glass of orange juice I noticed my brand loyalty has been with another company as long as I can remember.  Jeez, maybe I am turning into my parents.  I'm cool with that.