Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

Simply Brilliant

Here in Wisconsin, today marks the first day back to school. The end of summer. The end of fun.

But, not so at the nearby Lone Girl Brewing Company.

This morning, parents are invited to drop their kids off at school and head to Lone Girl for "Bevs and Breakfast" from 7:30 to 10:30 am.

On their website: "Who said Back to School was just for the kids?  Leave the ABCs to them and join us for some ADULTing at our Back to School Party! 

Drop off the little scholars and swing by for a brew-tiful morning. We’ve got the three Rs covered: Relax, Recharge, and Refreshment! Plus, grab a light breakfast and raise a toast to freedom!

 

See you at the brewery – where class is always in session."

 

If we didn't have a full morning of client calls, we'd be there even though we no longer have kids in school...just to see the joy on those parent faces.

 

So smart.

Next on DMOU: Wisconsin's Anne Sayers

As we celebrate out 150th episode of the DMOU Podcast, we hang with Wisconsin Tourism Secretary Anne Sayers and talk about how the Badger State captured the culinary world’s attention with the most recent season of Top Chef. Anne explains how Wisconsin Tourism made it happen through amazing collaborations and shares how they are extending the reach of the series (and major events like the Republican National Convention and next year’s NFL Draft) far beyond the events themselves. Plus, a Bonus Round question that involves Muppets. Join us.

Nice Try

When smoking aboard domestic flights was outlawed in 1990, two enterprising entrepreneurs decided to launch their own "members-only" play to get around the ban. Called "Smokers Express" the plan was to offer flights where passengers could enjoy complimentary cigarettes, premium steaks, burgers and pizza. And, because membership was limited to those 21 and over, Smokers Express promised that flights would be free of "screaming babies."

They never secured enough venture capital to ever get off the ground.

Ummm, Where?

I've been getting these e-mails recently, promoting a new restaurant here in Madison that sounds really cool. They claim to be Wisconsin's Finest Chicken. And, I'm in...I'm ready to go. Fried Pickle Day. Friday Fish Fry. Wednesday Wing Day. Let's go.

But where? Where are you located? In every e-mail I receive, I look for an address and come up with nothing.

And the Visit Our Website link is broken.

Really?

Now that I want fried chicken (and thank you for the tasty suggestion), I guess I'll go to Zippy Lube.

Which is not what I believe your intent is with these e-mails (that I never signed up for).

Sigh...

Where Design and Execution Collide

So...there are those hotel brands that provide free breakfast. And there are those that charge. Some of the ones that charge offer buffets; others offer servers to take your order and deliver your food. And then there are those trendy bars adjacent to the lobby that serve made to order breakfasts and, in some cases, lunch and dinner.

I can't imagine that the designers of this week's hotel ever imagined the scenario I witnessed yesterday...or if it never dawned on them what could go wrong, I can't believe a legacy brand would have ever hired them.

It's dinner. I've already exhausted the restaurants this week within a 10 minute drive that have at least 4-star Yelp reviews that look remotely aligned to my tastes. It's starting to rain. Screw it, I'll just order a hamburger here in the lobby and watch SportsCenter.

The person behind the bar takes my order, turns to retrieve a frozen patty from refrigeration, slides it into a fast broiler and waits for the timer. Hey? I'm standing here. I can see what you're doing.

When the timer chimes, she takes it out, lays a slice of processed cheese on one side of a bun and puts the halves in the broiler to get a slight char on the bun (a nice touch, to be sure). She assembles the pieces and then looks at me and says, I'll get your fries...and goes back into the kitchen. Five minutes later, she returns and delivers my now cold burger with my now steaming fries. 

As always, I'm gonna side with her...and challenge management with horrible training. Put the fries in first and unfreeze the burger second was clearly never communicated to her. But, therein lies a deeper issue. If you have a working kitchen behind the wall, why would you put on display that you are serving frozen meat by cooking it in front of a guest in the first place?

C'mon, Marriott. Shouldn't we be able to expect more from you?

The Best of the Darkness

With the up front disclaimer that I simply didn't have the time to check out every DMO's plan for the Great Eclipse...here are some of my favorite plays.

Boone County IN: "Get Mooned in Boone" was brilliant.

Irving TX: The Convention Center's Executive Chef Eduardo Alvarez and crew baked up the world's largest Moon Pie. 180 pounds. Five feet across. 128 eggs. 45 pounds of marshmallow cream. 60 pounds of chocolate. Yeah...you wish you were there yesterday.

Perry County MO: The hospitality community there can be commended for not gouging visitors seeking totality. According to this article on NBC News, the community held to everyday pricing (with the exception of the Holiday Inn Express, which said they could have gone higher, but didn't).

Whether their compassion for their visitors' wallets will translate into future visits...we'll just have to see.

Just a snapshot of the creativity we love about the sector we serve.

Y'all rock!

Next on DMOU > Sarah Miller

One of the newest marketing opportunities out there is NIL (Name / Image / Likeness)…and we touched on it briefly in Episode 122 with Experience Columbia SC’s Kelly Barbrey. On this edition of DMOU, we sit down with Destination Ann Arbor CEO Sarah Miller to hear how they have entered this arena and what they believe the future holds for them and other DMOs in this space. We also discuss her experience as a relatively new CEO...and talk about our shared experiences at the A&W. Join us.

Tonight's the Night

Tonight's the night for Wisconsin foodies to be validated. It's not just cheese curds and brats...though I'm sure variations on a theme will be on display when the new season of Top Chef premiers tonight. It's all about Wisconsin, baby.

And Travel Wisconsin is debuting its first National TV spot on the telecast...and, I gotta say, it's the best piece of creative to come out of the Department in years (even with the obligatory golf shots). 

Nicely played, Wisco. Nicely played.

Noble (Kinda) Intent. Questionable Strategy.

Let us, for a moment, believe that the growing number of States that are eliminating Sales Tax on groceries are doing so to help struggling families put food on the table for their children. I know...I think it's just a ploy to win votes, too. But, let's just say that it is for the good of the people.

Except Oklahoma, which just eliminated its Sales Tax on groceries last week, now faces a $415 million budget shortfall. 

In this edition of the Route 50 Weekend Round-Up, there is suggested a smarter way. Rather than eliminate the Sales Tax on groceries (which benefits high earners more than others), States should offer Tax Credits.

Except that's too confusing of a concept for voters. Just saying you've eliminated a tax is much easier to understand.

And so, yes...we're back to winning votes...and not sound fiscal management.

And where is that $415 million gonna come from?

Bueller?

Playing the Field

As they say in pro sports, the Green Bay Packers control their playoff destiny with one game to go this weekend. They win, they're in. They lose, they'll need serious help to sneak in the backdoor.

If they win, they'll likely face Dallas in the First Round...and, if they do, they will, according to Gambling.com, do something that no other team has done this year. And that is to have played every city that James Brown calls out in "Living in America" in a single season.

I know they haven't done it yet...but, a chance to feature the Godfather of Soul on Music Friday? 

That's enough for me.