Tristan Restaurant
- Creative
- Website
- Case Study
Challenge:
With a rich culinary history and multiple James Beard Award winners, Charleston is a foodie’s dream and the city has no shortage of high-end restaurants vying for local business.Tristan, with changes in ownership, transitions in Executive chefs, varying menus and multiple positionings, has struggled to find a secure and profitable place in Charleston’s fine dining scene.
Our goal was simple: Get Tristan (back) into the “rotation” of fine-dining Charlestonians.
L+P concluded that as a restaurant, Tristan needed to re-define their value proposition to attract lapsed guests and entice new customers. We set out to conduct research that sought to uncover how best to reposition Tristan's value proposition and communicate that restaurant experience in an entirely new and unique way.
Insights:
L+P conducted a qualitative research study and spoke with Tristan's internal team, restaurant "loyals" and Charleston foodies.We discovered that while type of cuisine plays a large role in consumers decision making process, consumers are also choosing their restaurants based on the type of experience they want to have. The most successful restaurants ensure that the consumer experience is clearly definable and consistent – something that as Tristan, at the start of our work, clearly lacked.
Our research told us that without any clear, definable attributes, Tristan offers it’s patrons an unbalanced experience. The menu was confusing but the actual food was a stellar and "pleasant surprise". The interior was dated and a bit run down but the atmosphere was modern and the service was impeccable. As an experience, Tristan took it's patrons for roller coaster ride of highs and lows.
To create successful and competitive restaurant, Tristan needed to offer its patrons a more balanced experience. The best place to start was to build on the most positive aspect of the consumer experience, the surprising fantastic cuisine.
Our findings lead to a new brand positioning for Tristan–
Tristan: Simple. Modern. Unexpected.Solution:
Our goal was to position Tristan as a restaurant that offered a dining experience unlike any other in Charleston.Practically: Tristan offers Charleston locals a series of unexpectedly simple surprises within their fine dining experience.
Sensorially: Tristan offers Charleston locals simple, classic cuisine with a modern and surprising twist.
Emotionally: Tristan offers Charleston locals a simple, personalized fine dining experience with the greatest attention to detail.
Results:
Broaden awareness of Tristan and it's offerings. Through a robust media plan, Charleston locals have a clear and defined understanding of Tristan: Simple. Modern. Unexpected. Re-energized management and employees, focused on raising the quality of offerings and creating a well defined, consistent fine dining experience for their consumers.
Cheeseburger In Paradise
Role: Executive Creative Director
Agency: Rawle Murdy
DISCLOSURE: Cheeseburger in Paradise is not a client of L+P
- Creative
- Website
- Case Study
Challenge:
Create an impression with consumers by breaking through the clutter of much better known casual dining restaurants – with greater marketing resources. Make Cheeseburger in Paradise more than just a place to get a good burger. Focus on the experience of eating in a restaurant where guests can enjoy the tastes and rhythms of the Caribbean and get an emotional lift from the pressures of their daily lives.
In other words:
Get your daily dose of paradise at Cheeseburger in Paradise
Insights:
Through our research, we learned that we’re targeting time-starved, vacation-deprived and increasingly budget-conscious consumers—consumers who need a break from their everyday pressures. The key for Cheeseburger in Paradise is in our ability to frequently remind guests of Cheeseburger in Paradise’s ever-changing Caribbean menu and the great cocktails while driving home that it’s “affordable paradise.”
Solution:
Use the food to bring out the feeling of a Caribbean vacation you’ll feel at Cheeseburger in Paradise
Results:
78% increase in response rate for FSI
67% decrease in cost-per-acquisition
Strong positive sales spikes for comp stores during radio flights throughout season
Patriots Point
Wild Dunes
Role: Executive Creative Director
Agency: Rawle Murdy
DISCLOSURE: Wild Dunes is not a client of L+P
- Creative
- Website
- Case Study
Challenge:
In 2006, following the most profitable years in its history, Wild Dunes Resort made substantial capital improvements in an effort to expand its business. The investments included Sweetgrass Pavillion, a 10,000-square-foot executive conference center, and The Village, a 120-unit upscale hotel-condo complex.
In the face of a weakening economy, leadership at Wild Dunes and its parent company were intent on realizing immediate ROI on the resort’s improvements.
Insights:
When launching a new product—especially in a challenging economy—it makes sense to focus on those who know you best, in this case property owners, past guests, and meeting planners with whom the resort had done business.
Solution:
To drive leisure and group bookings and build visibility for the arrival of the The Village, we created a geo-targeted and seasonality-driven media and PR program to reach Family and Golf Travelers. The effort was enhanced with a personalized direct and e-mail marketing effort with variable data and personalized URL’s. Within every medium, the opening of The Village was included to highlight a new, luxurious experience at the Resort.
Our effort to raise awareness for the launch of the Sweetgrass Pavilion entailed a broad reach campaign through trade publications. It was followed by a targeted email campaign against association and corporate meeting planners garnered through data mining.
Results:
Wild Dunes group sales is having a record year, exceeding the resort’s goals and increasing revenue by 14%.
The Village is pacing at 98% of their room nights goal for the year, despite an economy weakened further by the current economic crisis.
Charleston Grill
Charleston Place Hotel, an Orient Express property located in historic Charleston, SC
Role: Executive Creative Director
Agency: Rawle Murdy
DISCLOSURE: Charleston Grill is not a client of L+P
- Creative
- Website
- Case Study
Challenge:
Charleston, SC is a foodie paradise, with three of the 20 restaurants on The New York Times “Where To Eat” list and new restaurants opening regularly.
For the first time in 10+ years, business at Charleston Grill was down year-over-year.
Insights:
Our research uncovered that going out to dinner among our targets, affluent adults 25-49, isn’t just about the food. Dining out is about having an experience, and Charleston Grill can deliver like no other restaurant in town.
Our targets believe that innovative menu + exceptional service + a place to see and be seen = a great dining experience.
Now, add in hip ambiance, a contemporized décor, a more youthful and energetic service staff, and live, nightly jazz to the equation and…
Charleston Grill delivers a mood-elevating experience.
Solutions:
Phase 1: Let people know what’s going on
With the restaurant closing for two months, we had 60 days to generate some buzz about the changes afoot.
Media relations began to ensure that we garnered media and editorial validation of the great changes about to be unveiled. Additionally, we reached out one-on-one to influential personalities and spent time discussing the renovation and menu overhaul with them to build anticipation.
Phase 2: Turn heads and build anticipation
During the renovation period, newspaper and online ads featured a countdown clock to create anticipation.
We participated in local food and social blogs to let people know about the changes.
Viral email messaging supported ongoing grassroots one-to-one outreach and our core advertising messaging.
Phase 3: Get them in the door
During the two weeks prior to re-opening, full-page ads ran in local high-end publications along with a high-impact insertion to grab attention.
We staged an invitation-only gala event for a hand-selected group of 300 influential personalities in Charleston, and then followed up with key individuals to gather their feedback on food, service and décor reactions.
Results:
20+ cover / feature stories in every local media outlet and select regional publications.
The period immediately following the re-opening (May through August) recorded the highest sales revenue ever for a four-month period.
Total 2007 sales were +15% vs. 2006, reversing the downward trend and it continued with 2008 sales up 19%!
