The Price of Eggs and the Power of a Damn Good Metaphor

A funny thing happened over the last couple of years. People who never once cared about the price of eggs started checking. Even those who could afford to ignore it—who weren’t meal-planning around whether omelets were suddenly a luxury item—started clocking the cost. Not because they had to, but because they couldn’t not.

That’s messaging that sticks.

Somewhere along the way, the price of eggs became shorthand for economic anxiety. It wasn’t about poultry or breakfast—it was a visceral, everyday thing that made inflation feel personal. A simple phrase that, once planted in your brain, became impossible to unsee.

And now? You probably know how much a dozen eggs cost at your grocery store. You may still buy them, but you notice. And chances are, you’ll be weirdly aware of egg prices for the rest of your life.

That’s the power of a metaphor done right.

The best messaging isn’t a data dump. It’s not an overwrought, jargon-filled thesis. It’s a sharp, simple frame that makes your audience feel something—and more importantly, remember it.

This is what I tell nonprofits all the time: You can have the best programs in the world, but if your message doesn’t land—if it doesn’t imprint itself in the minds of your donors, your advocates, your community—then it’s just noise.

A great brand isn’t about looking polished. It’s about crafting a message that grabs people and never lets go.

➔ It’s the difference between “We address systemic food insecurity through innovative policy solutions” and “No kid should go to bed hungry in the richest country on Earth.”

➔ Between “We empower communities through strategic capacity-building” and “When the system fails, we show up.”

The price of eggs is a reminder: When you get your messaging right, people don’t just hear it. They carry it.

And if your nonprofit isn’t making people think about your cause the way they now instinctively clock the price of eggs? It’s time to sharpen your story.

#MessagingMatters #NonprofitBranding #UnstoppableForce #MakeItStick