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A Twinkie is Intellectual Property

It’s been a long time since I have eaten a Twinkie. It’s not that I am particularly disciplined about sweets. I have celiac disease, which means I am among the growing population of citizens who have discovered they are gluten intolerant. No wheat. Not now. Not ever. It’s not been easy, but I’ve had to move on.

This allows me to take a more objective, clinical view of the current crisis involving Twinkies, since I have no real tastebuds in the game. As the company, Hostess Brands, enters bankruptcy for the last time and follows the inevitable path to liquidation, the organization will cease to exist, but what will come of the Twinkie?

Many have speculated that a Twinkie is simply indestructible, and therefore will always be with us. Amply supplied with preservatives, some suggest that any time capsule from our period of history should include a Twinkie since it is likely to last a long, long time.

The preservation of Twinkies as a truly American treat, however, rests not on their durability.  They will be preserved because there is demand and we still know how to make them. As the dust settles on the closure of the company, the intellectual property rights, patents and trademark protection make the Twinkie, as an idea, even more indestructible than the actual cake.

There are some who will be cheering against the reincarnation of the Twinkie. Nutritionists, dentists and doctors are likely among these, though I wonder if some of them will keep a private stash in their basements – only for special occasions, of course. Others are hoping the Twinkie will never surface again in its current form. The Twinkie hoarders are speculating on a long gap in time so that pent up demand will drive prices high. They have visions of Twinkies on the future auction block with the salivating top collectors in the world making the opportunistic hoarders rich on their collections.

The reality is both the healthcare workers and collectors will probably be disappointed very soon as the intellectual property is more valuable than the real thing. That’s the power of ideas and know-how in a knowledge economy. Ideas are incredibly resilient and adaptable. We would do well to remember the organizations we build, the skill sets we amass and the equipment we invent depend on the energy of ideas to animate them. The more we do in society to stimulate creativity through education and research, the better off we will be.

Businesses may fail through very localized and unique circumstances. Mismanagement, collective bargaining dynamics and limited productivity gains all played a role in the Hostess Brands decline. However, the partners who hold the keys to Hostess know what is most valuable. As labor expense evaporates, and property – plant and equipment – are sold or written off, the control of the knowledge and ideas – brand and the recipes – are the most valuable assets. The Twinkie lives.

This piece was originally written for The Des Moines Register’s A Better Iowa, where President Mark Putnam served as a featured columnist.

About the Author

Mark Putnam

I'm the lucky individual who carries the title, 21st president of Central College in Pella, Iowa. Passionate about higher education and the issues facing it and the world today, I hope to invoke an engaging conversation with all who are ready to dig in, make a difference and build for the future. Share your thoughts. I'm listening and interested.

 

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