Restaurants
We’re passionate about restaurant marketing and driving sales. Together we can provide a wide-range of marketing services that benefit your concepts. We get it done so you can focus on ops.
We help with the big stuff: Vision, Mission, Brand creation or brand true up (concept clarity), brand positioning and identity, logo, signage, media buying and planning, agency management, revenue management). And the execution: traffic driving, promotions, advertising, communications, digital marketing, social media, media buying and planning, agency management, managing your revenue (OpenTable and their competitors).
ALIOTO'S RESTAURANT, CAFE 8, AND CRAB STAND
Alioto’s Restaurant is San Francisco’s oldest family owned and run restaurant with three options at one location. Alioto’s Restaurant is the fine dining option with scenic views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. CAFE8 provides a more casual ambiance with tasty fare. The Crab Stand provides takeaway for those who wanted to experience the wharf with tasty treats in hand. It’s been around since 1925 and still uses some of the same recipes that have been passed down from the original owner and founder, Nonna Rose Alioto.
The Challenge: How to stem the decline and counteract a 15-year cover count, sales slide and overall brand decline.
Increased online bookings by +20% YOY as of Sept, 2017 through booking engine.
Developed and implemented the Alioto’s first brand plan for cohesive and synergistic communications.
Grew list from 100 to 11,000 members in just over three month test period, list is currently at 15,000 members.
Increased facebook fans by 27% since managing Alioto’s social media accounts.
PR - achieved key press hits monthly, for example; CNN’s top 10, Bay Area’s Best, a feature in BBC documentary, “Great American Railroad Journeys." and call out in Better Homes & Gardens, Australia, “8 Reasons to Visit San Francisco,” Alioto’s was listed #2.
Shifted media spend to in-language, tour guide magazines/mapguides, reaching 580,000 visitors per year.
Successfully rebranded all three eateries and rebranded and relaunch synergistic internal and external menus and communications vehicles for all three.
STEAK 'N SHAKE CAMPBELL
Steak 'n Shake, a classic American brand, serves premium burgers and shakes in 600 restaurants across the country and the world. Founded in 1934 in Normal, Illinois, Steak 'n Shake is the leader in the "better burger" segment of the restaurant industry, serving hand-crafted, premium Steakburgers and hand-scooped milkshakes. Steak 'n Shake is the recipient of the Nation's Restaurant News Golden Chain Award. And has been recognized by Zagat as having the No. 1 Milkshake.
The Challenge: How do you introduce an unknown?
Store opening was launched within seven days of our hire on Labor Day weekend, September 2017.
Grand opening festivities included landing sponsorship with well-known community theater to garner local support.
Raised Yelp & TripAdvisor ratings with new social management and accountability with customer reviews
Increased exposure by working with key news outlets to highlight opening and appeal to locals and silicon valley execs
Press coverage:
Landed Steak 'n Shake Campbell in San Jose Mercury News in the months after store opening. Featured photos were styled and provided by our team.
The Catamount
Hired by Presidio Social Club Restaurateur Ray Tang to assist in driving reappraisal for Los Gatos concept. Hired a year after opening to assist in delayed launch of digital media including social media, public relations, email and revenue generation. Program included launching private events revenue generation program.
Created MailChimp email program
Created Private dining campaigns though Adwords and Facebook PPC through BentoBox, Google Analytics
Reconcepting recommendations
Marketing materials, photographs, asset management
Faz
Drove traffic and revenue for six units. Launch successful new San Jose restaurant, garnering press and opening traffic.
Reconcepted, rebranded and relaunched brand including revised logo and website. involve sourcing new partners, new platforms, and suppliers.
Launched new successful traffic driving private dining program through adwords.
Achieved numerous press hits resulting in traffic and reappraisal of brand.
Rebuilt digital infrastructure applying best practices.
Partnered with OpenTable to drive revenue in new ways and correct issue related to technology problem impeding progress.
MacArthur Park
A marketing partner for 4 years, spearheaded marketing programs:
Conducted brand reconcept to gain reappraisal, including all touch points: service, interior, menus, identity.
Achieved banner years of sales and traffic growth for year in which parts of plan were implemented.
Managed and executed promotions, PR, advertising and social media.
Partnered With OpenTable to develop revenue.
Launched American BBQ Road Trip Promotion to communicate new product news.
Created, launched new site and all associated assets.
Create and launched new private dining traffic driving program using google adwords.
lA Viga/LV Mar
Helped the La Viga team rediscover their brand values through branding.
Additionally, helped them drive traffic (+10% in ‘17) through their existing partner OpenTable.
Provided numerous best practices toward digital marketing success.
KIMPTON HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
Director of Restaurant Marketing, Kimpton Hotel and Restaurant Group
Directed all aspects of marketing and PR strategy and all marketing and promotional programs for 67 high-concept, individual upper-end casual restaurants and lounges.
Improved Restaurant Division's comparable sales performance +25% YOY in 2012, by leveraging digital strategies. Successfully drove trial among new guests and unique visitors to websites by 16% YOY comp. Improved restaurant reservations through booking engine by 17% YOY comp.
Leveraged restaurant perception rankings as leading program for booking Kimpton hotels according to A&U tracking studies.
Restaurant Marketing lead: Kimpton’s first proprietary custom CRM Loyalty program to improve acquisition and retention of restaurant guest base as well as drive hotel guest traffic.
BLACK ANGUS STEAKHOUSE
As action CMO for seven years, Laura was responsible for dinner counts, sales and profitability. Reporting directly to President/CEO, Laura was responsible for maintaining and developing the brand for 105-unit casual steakhouse chain, managing all aspects of all media and non media communications, production and media budget advertising and design agencies and staff of eight.
Produced award winning, compelling creative campaigns with synergy across all communication platforms (television, radio, newspaper, online, POP, in-store communications).
Achieved highest sales year in company history.
Maintained profitability for an aging franchise without CAPEX capability through compelling new product development.
Brand Management: developed and implemented 40 year old company's first brand plan resulting in cohesive communications, and better perceived value among the target.
Re-launched brand internally through orchestrated National events.