Sticking to what you know

It was revealed this week that the Department of Defence’s Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance Group has published a cookbook with the theme “Taste of Harmony”.

The news didn’t go down too well with The Australian, and is also unlikely to land with Defence Minister Richard Marles, who has previously said “everything is on the table” when it comes to reforms of his department. Although presumably not Air Marshal Leon Phillips’ spaghetti ai gamberi.

In Defence’s defence, they are hardly the first organisation to encounter trouble when trying something new.

There’s a handy list here, with favourites including Cosmopolitan’s 1999 attempt to launch a yoghurt product, Bic creating disposable women’s underwear and perfume to perfectly complement their existing line of pens and lighters, and Colgate introducing frozen foods, presumably to own the entire category of ‘things to put in your mouth’.

Of course, it’s now common for brands to branch out in pursuit of clicks and sales. 

Everyone, for example, seems to have produced a line of clothing, as evidenced by Canadian Club’s recent collab with Peking Duk to create a windbreaker jacket. No shade though, we’d still pitch it.

The vital ingredient in making unexpected products work is a knowing wink and a nod. But given the reaction to their cookbook, perhaps Defence should stick to saluting.