What Omsom Can Teach Us about Branding
The three things I love about this unapologetic brand and how you can bring them to your own business.
This is a new series I'm working on called "In the Hot Seat." In the series, I'll spotlight a product, business, or concept and share tangible branding lessons you can implement in your own business—no matter your size.
Listen, it's no secret I love to cook. There's something magical about ending my work day at the stove. Cooking forces me to slow down and focus on this one thing rather than multi-tasking like I do every other minute of the day.
And as glamorous as cooking is and as much as I love it, I sometimes want something easy and nostalgic...like a Crunchwrap Supreme from Taco Bell. And while Taco Bell is less than a mile from my house (this was not something on my real estate wishlist but should have been), it's still too far for me to go when I just want to lay on my couch and watch TV.
Enter Omsom's Spicy Asian Crunch Wrap, which has become a staple in our house.
I've been a long-time admirer of Omsom and recently stocked up on their Bulgogi and Krapow sauces for easy (and delicious) meals during a busy season of life and work. After cooking at least ten crunch wraps in the past three weeks and a smattering of other delicious dishes (like Thai Spicy Fried Rice and Korean Spicy Tofu Bulgogi) I realized...I may be an Omsom super fan.
So today, I'm sharing the things I love about the brand and how you can incorporate those things into your own business.
Be Friendly
You know how at Olive Garden, you're family? Well, that type of familial love comes with conditions—you're only family when you're here, after all. I don't know if it's a compliment to say that Omsom has built something better than Olive Garden (they have), but for the sake of metaphor, we're rolling with it. If Olive Garden is your family, Omsom is your best friend. They make you feel appreciated, welcomed, and seen.
Take their website, for example. When you land on the home page, you're immediately welcomed by co-founder Kim Pham who, (through a video platform called Tolstoy) gives you a personal tour of the website and guides you through the various Omsom products.
And just like a best friend would, Omsom happily shares their favorite recipes with anyone interested in their brand, no purchase or email necessary. Now that's unconditional love. I don’t see Olive Garden offering me their breadstick recipe.
Omsom's friendliness doesn't just extend to their customers. They're friendly with like-minded brands and have crafted intentional partnerships to create some really cool extras like this Apron Top, a Puzzle, and The Tofu Sisig Bowl.
Whether you choose to be familial like Olive Garden or friendly like Omsom, the key to this approach is personality. Building a personable brand lies in crafting a genuine connection with those who resonate with your mission and values. Your brand should go beyond transactional relationships and instead foster a sense of belonging. Because in the end, it's not about what you sell, it's the emotional connection you make with those who welcome your brand into the complex folds of their life.