You had me at real food.

...And then you dumped me.

Whole Foods what happened to you? I remember the day your Real Food campaign broke. It was an incredibly beautiful, anthemic, belief-driven brand strategy that validated why I shop at Whole Foods.

They were TV commercials that touched me because they communicated values that I share. And powerful claims. No artificial colors. No artificial flavors and no preservatives in any of the food they sell. That's worth a lot in today's world of clean food, local food, and whole 30 food. Hmmm. Whole Foods.

But, we know what happened to Whole Foods. Amazon. Certainly this acquisition could take Whole Foods in new exciting directions. So, I waited with curiosity to see where the brand would go. And finally the ads broke... A series of TV commercials depict Whole Foods shoppers at their quirkiest. They are seen exhibiting odd behaviors sampling foods and ordering meat. And within the commercial even the Whole Foods employee behind the meat counter seems confused by the customer's behavior.

It made me wonder what happened behind the focus group glass. What had inspired these ad executives to portray their customers, and me,as these odd ducks? And how does that make me want to shop there more often?

On my return to Whole Foods, I am busy wondering, do I feel connected to all this wholesome goodness, or is my freak flag flying?