Marketing & Tech Articles
Two frozen dessert chains made moves with new marketing promotions this summer. TCBY launched a new frozen yogurt truck platform in Charlotte, N.C. The company says the truck model is part of a new strategic expansion plan. Cold Stone Creamery will offer
Social media and web engagement is still very low among independents. This was one of several findings of a new study performed by Restaurant Sciences of Newton, Mass. The RIMS (Restaurant Science's Internet Marketing Study) shows that among several facets of web marketing and engagement, independents and full-service locations scored significantly low.
Tablets are increasingly finding their way into restaurants, hotels and other retail establishments. One local shop in Boston, Tasty Burger, signed on with ISISPOS for POS-integrated tablet devices to take orders and speed up service at the compact sit-down restaurant and adjacent take-out trailer near Boston's historic baseball landmark, Fenway Park.
As we saw last year, the proliferation of these devices depends not so much
The top three "better burger" chains offer restaurateurs lessons in putting burgers and guest smiles at the top of one's agenda. Whether in customizing options or making guests feel more at home by providing locally relevant flavors, the top better burger chains have a winning formula.
While these brands may offer the best-in-class ideas
In this Expert Corner installment, Dr. Gary Edwards, chief customer officer for Empathica, discusses how restaurant marketers can use the social feedback loop for customer insight to further a culture of continuous improvement, and what he calls "active advocacy."
From the visual to point-of-purchase (POP) material, promoting cold beverages is serious business to restaurant marketers. Chains are maximizing their presence on social media, including the Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest channels, to promote quenching thirst through their cold beverages.
The recent Sonic partnership with OLO Online ordering for Sonic franchise group Mason-Harrison-Ratliff brought an interesting offer to the table, or actually, to phones and websites: a Groupon deal exclusively redeemed through Sonic's online and mobile platforms.
A soccer mom packs her four kids into the van after practice. Looking for a quick meal to reward the gang for their sportsmanship, she contemplates the various take-out options on the way home. With Italian on her mind, she settles on a family plate of lasagna at the nearest fast casual shop.
Experts agree that the best way to market something is to first create a best in class product. Therefore, all the elements of putting together a successful iced or blended beverage program depend on planning, execution, product quality and training.
Starwood became the latest company to offer its own "deals" to customers. The Starwood Preferred Guest Loyalty Program (SPG) announced it would offer deals to its SPG members at 500 dining and entertainment locations globally, most between 10 and 30 percent.
With each new year, restaurateurs create aggressive lists of marketing resolutions that are inevitably written, sworn upon to be abided...and then collect dust. If you or your colleagues need some help in the sticktoitiveness department when it comes to resolution fulfillment, these programs can help you get on the curve early in 2012, and fast.
Squeeze the most out of your social media money by knowing what outsource, and what to handle yourself. In this Insights piece we hear from Priyanshu Adathakkar on building a killer social media strategy on a not-so-killer budget.
Adathakkar is a management and social media professional with more than 20 years
Flame-grilled chicken chain El Pollo Loco finalized its agency review ─ and it did so much to the delight of Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners (BSSP). The Sausalito, Calif.-based ad agency will be El Pollo Loco's new advertising agency of record.
Arby's Restaurant Group (ARG) has named Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Miami (CP+B) as its agency of record for national advertising. CP+B will succeed BBDO New York
Fast Company's Top 10 Innovative Food-based Companies list is a blend of retailers, restaurants, technology, service & distribution companies, and wholesalers, and in the midst of all that, Starbucks is #1. It's not surprising that Starbucks heads Fast Company’s list for 2012.
In this Expert Corner we hear from Jim Fisher of Triumph Advisors. Fisher is a senior marketing executive who has built a marketing advisory from his real world, revenue-building track record spanning every restaurant segment from quick-serve restaurants (Mc Donald’s, Pizza Hut) to
With the seemingly accelerated perpetuity of tablet use in the hospitality industry, tablets appear to be on the verge of replacing everything from menus to entire POS systems. But will the adoption of tablets occur in tandem with the fast availability of solutions for the restaurant industry? What will come of the tablet wars?
As Valentine's Day approaches, Qdoba Mexican Grill is running a radio promotion for couples in select markets. The old adage says that three's a crowd, but two just may be the right number
Foursquare is becoming a popular, low-cost, effective marketing tool for reaching consumers using location-based technology. The company recently signed an agreement with SinglePlatform to access and make available 250,000 restaurant menus to its users.
The stakes are growing in the QSR loyalty space. Starbucks' announcement that one in four transactions are completed using a Starbucks card or app signals some best practices in the space. The use of its card and smartphone app by customers has brought an ease of use, allowing customers
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) released data from its annual survey of holiday dining and gift card trends. According to its survey of over 1,000 consumers between December 8 - 11, more than one in four American consumers, or 26 percent, plan to give restaurant gift cards this year as holiday presents.
In the era of Yelp and Groupon, restaurateurs continue to be challenged with the value proposition of deal sites and hospitality review engines. Enter Diningverse. The Erie, Penn.-based recommendation platform for independent restaurateurs is attempting to pull away from the pack with a new angle: putting positive spins on restaurant reviews.
Day one of the International Hotel, Motel+Restaurant Show (IHMRS) proved to be somewhat quiet. Regardless, the Quick Serve Leader staff was on hand to learn about new products and solutions for the foodservice
Burger King launched its new CROWN™ Program, a new kids meal initiative that allows kids to vote for their favorite charities using codes found in BK Kids Meals. Burger King has also redesigned its crown after several years.
Burger King launched the new BK Chef's Choice burger, a 5.5-ounce flame-grilled 100 percent chuck burger, topped with bacon, cheese, red onions, lettuce, tomato and BK's Griller sauce.
Papa John's signed a multi-year agreement to be the sponsor of the National Football League in Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Papa John's ties to the NFL are deep. The Louisville, Ky.-based pizza chain already sponsors
NTN Buzztime of Carlsbad, Calif., this month acquired the hosted Stump! Trivia game from Trailside Entertainment, Inc. Stump! has a large presence in the Northeast and conducts approximately 300 live events per week.
According to MasterCard Worldwide, the Subway chain will begin accepting a faster, more convenient payment method from customers. The MasterCard® PayPass™ payment will be accepted
Recent moves by restaurants looking to engage customers on several technology platforms has brought attention to the way social games draw and appeal to a young audience. Electronic Arts' recent collaboration with coffee and baked goods chain Dunkin'
The i.Meu Expo at the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) will feature solutions in technology to better manage restaurant operations. Through a partnership with i.Business Magazine
Urbanspoon’s recent deal with Zagat will provide the company with much needed fighting power to better compete with the more prominent and popular Yelp review website. The Zagat deal, announced
Boston-based AisleBuyer LLC recently received additional funding from Old Willow Partners in a series E Round in June worth $7.5 million. Old Willow Partners is a founding investor in technology companies that include Magnitude Networks,
Boston-based AisleBuyer LLC released its new mobile self-checkout solution ─ this one exclusively for restaurants ─ mDine.
The 2011 encore of the Double Down promotion in Canada is coming to a close. KFC Canada reported having limited inventory, and that the limited-time offer (LTO) of the bun-less sandwich would end within a few days.
The National Restaurant Association (NRA) has reported that it is filing comments regarding the Food and Drug Administration's draft menu labeling regulations. The NRA garnered heavy support for the new menu labeling law.
The International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), a global trade association of the shopping center industry, announced its 2011 Hot Retailers as selected by ICSC's global membership. Smashburger, a better burger chain based in Denver, was among the award recipients.
Dairy Queen and Wendy's have been the most effective quick-service restaurant (QSR) advertisers thus far this year, according to Ace Metrix™, a brand and creative consulting company leveraged on brand metrics.
A report from The Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at Cornell University cited online ordering as an avenue for increased revenue, among other benefits, for restaurant operators. But, the survey of 326 restaurants chains found that while there was an increase in the availability of technology platforms to offer online ordering, few restaurants are taking advantage.
This issue of our Expert Corner is brought to you courtesy of Susan Tellem, a 25-year public relations veteran, and partner of Tellem Worldwide:
So you opened a restaurant: Congrats … but now what?
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