bottles-jars Putting a recipe on a bbq sauce bottle, tacky or good idea?

Sam & Oliver

Sam & Oliver

Our 3rd product line will be a Bavarian influenced, mustard based BBQ sauce (mustard/habanero) with a medium heat at max.
 
This bottle I chose was the exact same height as the 5oz woozy bottle, but fatter.  Same look, but wider.  It's called a Stout bottle, and apparently are only made twice a year and are a tad more expensive, but I love the look.
 
16_oz_Stout_Bottle_38_CT.jpg

 
This was chosen over the standard glass/pet decanter style, or the lanky ringneck bottles that I've been seeing everywhere primarily for these reasons:
  • Same overall neck and shoulder look as the woozy but 3" wide
  • Same height as the 5oz woozy (7" tall), so labels line up on a shelf
  • Cost is only about 5 cents more per bottle, but production is limited
The label size is 3.25 x 9" with a much wider "Front Panel" than the standard woozy. (5oz woozy is 3.25 x 6", this is 3.25 x 9" with a 3" wide front panel)
 
This allows for 4 'panels' across the label itself:
  • Left Panel - Romance Panel, Heat Index, UPC 1-3/4" wide
  • Front Panel - Product Logo/Artwork - 3" wide
  • Right Panel - Additional serving suggestions / recipes - 2-1/4" wide
  • Back Panel - Nutritional info / ingredients 1-1/2" wide
I wanted to put a slow-cooker pulled pork recipe on the right panel.  It is a very simple recipe but It would take up the entire section (about 3-1/4"H x 2-1/4"W)
 
Is putting a recipe on a label considered a waste of space?  Tacky?  Gimicky?  Should I instead do more back-story on the Bavarian influence on South Carolina's BBQ?  What would be the best use of a 3.25 x 2.25"W section on the right side of a label (see dimensions above)
 
Here's an early mock of the label so you can see the width easier,  not necessarily the exact design  yet, but wanted to show where the panels were:
bbq-mock1.jpg

 
 
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I agree, but I'd have to use a recipe that most people would have access too.  I personally only see barbecue as smoked and pulled, my neighbors call the chicken legs they throw on the grill BBQ, haha.
 
I could use an oven method as well.  But with a slow cooker:
 
4 Lb. Pork shoulder (picnic or Boston, no bone), rinse and dry
1 cup of sauce
1/2 cup water
Place all in 1 Gal. plastic bag, chill overnight
 
Pile all into the slow cooker, 8 hours on low
Shred with fork, more sauce to taste.
 
Easy and simple, but it's a serving suggestion.  Should fit easily on that panel.
 
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Sam & Oliver said:
I agree, but I'd have to use a recipe that most people would have access too.  I personally only see barbecue as smoked and pulled, my neighbors call the chicken legs they throw on the grill BBQ, haha.
 
I could use an oven method as well.  But with a slow cooker:
 
4 Lb. Pork shoulder (picnic or Boston, no bone), rinse and dry
1 cup of sauce
1/2 cup water
Place all in 1 Gal. plastic bag, chill overnight
 
Pile all into the slow cooker, 8 hours on low
Shred with fork, more sauce to taste.
 
Easy and simple, but it's a serving suggestion.  Should fit easily on that panel.
Click to expand...
You forgot the liquid smoke...  :rolleyes:
 
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Here's an idea.
 
Put a QR code (you know the little square that smartphones can read with an app.)
 
And something like "For great recipe ideas, scan here with your smartphone!"
 
1) You save space.
2) Interactivity is always good. This would bring them to a page on your website with recipes for this particular sauce, but once on your website, they may be inclined to purchase.
3) They are more likely to scan it for recipes than future sales. Recipes may pique their interest, whereas purchasing again, they know they can just go to the website.
4) You can freely change the page! But not the bottle.
5) It shows you are not a dinosaur with marketing/social media, etc. 
 
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The Hot Pepper said:
Here's an idea.
 
Put a QR code (you know the little square that smartphones can read with an app.)
 
And something like "For great recipe ideas, scan here with your smartphone!"
 
1) You save space.
2) Interactivity is always good. This would bring them to a page on your website with recipes for this particular sauce, but once on your website, they may be inclined to purchase.
3) They are more likely to scan it for recipes than future sales. Recipes may pique their interest, whereas purchasing again, they know they can just go to the website.
4) You can freely change the page! But not the bottle.
5) It shows you are not a dinosaur with marketing/social media, etc. 
Click to expand...
I like that idea, I have QR on my sample labels that I hand out. 
 
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just to offer contrasting view, i've only scanned a qr code once in my life.
Also i rarely use the recipes on the packaging of stuff except for like cake mix etc.
 
But if they are on the bottle i wouldn't be mad, or dislike it, just wouldn't care.
 
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When I had my tablecloth printed for me, I was told "what's hot" is to put the icons for Facebook, Twitter and Instigram so people see them and search for you.
 
I was told "what's not" was putting your web address or QR codes out.  They said QR codes are not as popular, and no one is going to stand at your booth and punch in an entire web address anymore.
 
Still though, I like the idea of interactivity and maybe might add it just to add it.  If only phones didn't need an actual app to execute the scan
 
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Thing with the QR code is, they don't have to hand enter the address. And you will want different addresses for different sauces.
 
But you could just say...
 
For recipe ideas, go to samandoliver.com/recipes and click "sauce name." A bit instructive, but it works.
 
Or, the QR could take them there. Either works!
 
Putting the actual recipe on the bottle doesn't allow you to change it. You can always change a page on the website (a different recipe, or alter a recipe), and you can always change the destination of the QR code, etc. More flexible.
 
Another idea. You could register SamAndOliverRecipes.com.
 
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Yes it could be a forward, or standlone blog type site with recipes and cooking you do and maybe others do too, if you approve their blog entries.
 
Of course it would be tied to your main website.
 
But people like domains like that. Radio test:
 
"Go to sam and oliver recipes .com"
 
"Go to sam and oliver .com forward slash recipes"
 
The less dots and slashes the better.
 
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I like the idea of suggested recipes... I seldom use the recipes as they are listed, but it gives me a good starting point for creating a recipe and putting my own twist on it...
I have always liked the QR codes and never really understand why many people don't like them... Everyone seems to have no problems downloading all kinds of apps for useless junk and games... My daughter goes online to investigate recipes all the time... I think I would print your recipe link and the QR code on the label...
As far as the bottle goes, I like the way it looks and the only downside I can see is that it looks like it is going to have a larger footprint on the shelf...
 
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Just my observations, there are HORDES of people out there like my mother, her sisters, and her quilting friends, that obsessively clip and file recipes from bottles, magazines, box tops, whatever.  They keep them in recipe index boxes, crammed into cookbooks, write them down in journals, whatever.  I don't know if this is a regional thing but it's very common, I remember my friends growing up---their mothers did it too.  If you doubt that recipes are "in" then go to any antique store and ask them if they have recipe books---a lot of times that's the only type of book they will carry because they can move them fast.
 
I don't think it's tacky at all, it's useful.  You could put a simple recipe on the bottle, nothing fancy and put a QR or web address "for more recipes from Sam & Oliver" visit our website.
 
I love the bottle.
 
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