Oh Dolly Madison, Wherefore Art Thou?

Right before the holidays I joined Facebook, to see what was up with our spiffy new Chief Marketer page there.

I’ve been having a lot of fun connecting with friends from college and even elementary school. And yes, just like we’d love you to “fan” Chief Marketer, I’ve become a fan of things as diverse as Diet Coke and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.

Those, of course, are current popular obsessions. It occurred to me this past weekend as I was wasting time searching old drinking buddies looking up work colleagues that the site could also be a great way to test the waters for reviving or revamping old brands.

For example, ever since I was a kid I’ve been fascinated with Dolly Madison Snack Cakes, solely because they sponsored the Peanuts specials on television. Snoopy likes them? Gimme! They must be fantastic! (I was a little Peanuts obsessed. But that’s another story)

But sadly, they weren’t sold in New England. As an adult, I’ve searched online for places to buy them, hoping I might be able to track them down while traveling. I e-mailed the manufacturer once, asking where in the U.S. they were sold. The reply said little more than “sorry, they’re not available in your area.”

I searched for the brand on Facebook, hoping to find either an official or unauthorized fan page. After all, people can be fiercely loyal to their favorite junk foods. Unfortunately, I came up with nada.

So maybe there isn’t an untapped Dolly Madison fan base, other than me (anyone out there know where to find these delights?) But the potential might exist for other brands that have been relegated to niche markets or the cutting room floor. What do you think? What old brands would you “fan?”