SCHWARTZ CROSSROADS

Is there a more powerful brand than Santa Claus?

Is there a more powerful brand than Santa Claus? When it comes to holidays the only brand image that could potentially rival him is Cupid for Valentine's Day.

For the past 100+ years, Santa Claus has dominated the holiday season. He is ubiquitous. From TV specials to in-person appearances, to songs and even NORAD tracking his every move. Parents talk about him, children sing about him, and people wait 30+ minutes to have their children's photos taken with him. When it comes to conventional wisdom it seems no other brand has the "muscle" that Santa Claus has.

Yet this weekend, the power of Santa Claus was exposed. Yes, Virginia, another brand is more powerful than Santa Claus.

I took my sons to the New England Model Train Expo. There were 15+ model train sets on display, ranging from G gauge to N gauge. The show floor was packed. One of the selling points was that children could meet Santa Claus.

Yet at the Expo, Santa sat forlorn and alone. Another brand trumped Santa.

G-gauge Thomas and Percy model trains which were set up on the floor right next to Santa Claus drew hordes of admiring children. While Santa sat alone, with no one to tell him their Christmas wishes.

So based on my (very unscientific) survey of children, it is safe to say that Santa is no longer the most powerful brand at Christmas. Rather it is an unassuming little blue steam engine.