Bill Geist's Zeitgeist

On Anthony Bourdain

I'll admit it. I was late to the party.

I know...as one who is looked to be on the cutting edge of everything, this was one I missed. There was something about Anthony's early video persona that I rejected...I'm not entirely sure why. But, when I read Kitchen Confidential, I was hooked. And, I knew that the persona was real and true.

The accolades that have cascaded since his death have endowed him with a culture-shifting power that is so sensationally true. He showed us the world through the food we eat, the liquids we drink and the music in which we luxuriate. And, by doing so...he made us more accepting and inquisitive of a world that our current leaders intend us to eschew.

My favorite Bourdain quote is that one's body is not a temple. It's a theme park to be enjoyed.

And then, there is this: The value of a dish is the pleasure it brings you; where you are sitting when you eat it—and who you are eating it with—are what really matter. Perhaps the most important life lesson (my Dad) passed on was: Don't be a snob. It's something I will always at least aspire to—something that has allowed me to travel this world and eat all it has to offer without fear or prejudice. To experience joy, my father taught me, one has to leave oneself open to it.

Thank you, Anthony. Thank you for everything.

Fathers' Day

Exactly where should the apostrophe go?

Regardless...is it just me? Are Father's Day ads consuming the consumer marketing space like never before?

My favorite is this e-mail missive from one of my favorite steakhouses on the planet.

Honor the Stud, indeed.

Click the image to enjoy.

The Thought Process Behind Placement

Don't get me wrong...I think that making condoms available for sale in hotels is a good idea. It was just the way that such a service was offered during a recent stay that made me chuckle.

If you click on the image and look on the sixth line down of the very colorful products board, you'll see "Condoms" nestled between "Soda" and "Hoodie."

Though I'm giggling, I'm not sure I can suggest a better location. It probably doesn't fit next to "Pop-Tarts." Does it match up more effectively with "Batteries," "Shotglass" or "Bath Bomb?" I don't know.

I do know that I love how random this sign is...and would love to know the thought process that went into an obviously carefully considered piece of chalk art.

Gyro Meat?

Arby's (the roast beast sandwich chain with a logo that looks like a fish) is adding lamb-filled gyros to its menu...but, that's not what they are calling the main ingredient.

They're calling it "Gyro Meat."

Apparently, a lot of people don't like lamb and 50% say they've never tried lamb. And then, as noted in the Bloomberg article, there's "the sad child factor: Lamb is a sheep, under 14 months old."

I love marketing...

When You're Too Close

Cleaning out the freezer, I found a single-wrap frozen food thing. It kinda looked like a Chicken Kiev...but not.

Upon further review, it was a Hot Pocket. I have a theory on how it got there...but, that's another story.

If you are familiar with this type of food product, one takes the frozen brick and places it inside the included cardboard box before placing it in a microwave.

The instructions on the box instruct the hungry renter of said brick (as we only rent our food, never own) to allow the Hot Pocket to cool inside the box for 2 minutes. Yet, nowhere on the instructions on said box does it say how long one should cook the brick in the Microwave in the first place so that it can, indeed, cool for 2 minutes.

Apparently, those that eat Hot Pockets already know that.

For us virgins...not so much.

Just another example of product managers being too close to a product to understand that a consumer might not have a clue how to consume it.

Where's the FCKn Chicken?

That's what UK fans of Kentucky Fried Chicken were saying most of last week as 800 of the country's 900 KFC restaurants were forced to close because they were out of...you guessed it, chicken.

While it appears the snafu was caused by a supply-chain switch to a new carrier, it still was up to KFC to apologize to its customers. And, I can't think of a more hilarious way of saying they FCKd up (click on the image to read the full-page ad they ran last week).

Brilliant.

Dumb and Dummer

As we've seen over the past few weeks, a number of those responsible for the initial build out of Facebook have expressed their despair over what they created. While the platform is a wonderful way for friends to share experiences and birthday wishes, it is also a platform for hate and stupidity, masquerading as fact.

While the picture to the left is from Pinterest (click to enlarge)...it is no different.

It's spelled "hors d'oeuvres."

Idiots.

The Perfect Corporate Response

Forgive me if this surprised me...but Waffle House just nailed a moment.

The venerable roadside attraction experienced a customer service malfunction recently when a patron ended up whipping up his own late-night snack while the scheduled staff slept. And, then posting the images on Facebook to prove it.

Once the incident went viral, Waffle House nailed it. After apologizing to "Alex," they said..."For safety reasons, our customers should never have to go behind the counter. Rather they should get a quality experience delivered by friendly associates. We are reviewing this incident and will take appropriate disciplinary action.

In a related note, obviously Alex has some cooking skills, and we’d like to talk to him about a job since we may have something for him."

Priceless.

Thanks to my old friend Vodka...indeed.

Lemme Get This Straight...

A recent Ozy post featured a bakery that I have been in lust with since the day I moved to Madison. Their empanadas were (forgive the cliche) to die for.

But, they were a pain in the ass to make. So, Stella's pivoted and dumped the cheese filling that made the empanadas so delectable into some white Vienna bread dough. And Madisonians went bat shit crazy.

If you've never been, Madison hosts one of the best Farmer's Markets in the nation every Saturday morning during the season around its incredible Capitol Square. Stella's has been a fixture there for decades, along side over 250 other local vendors.

They sell 2,000 loaves every Saturday at $12 a pop. That's $24,000 gross a week times roughly 28 weeks. 

That's $672,000 a season. And, the season is just a part of their business, as they do mail-order and are the go-to bread purveyors for some of Madison's top restaurants and retailers.

I understand all too well that the Farmers Market number alone is before expenses...but, still.

I totally missed the boat when it came to career planning...

 

 

 

Purposeful Attention to the Customer

Great companies make their customers feel great. Most companies, however, make their customers grit their teeth.

While they won't open at home this Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons are poised to delight their fans next weekend with something more than just a championship-calibre team and a brand new stadium. Fans will also find $2 sodas, $2 hot dogs and $5 beers.

Those aren't typos. Those are a purposefully thoughtful move on the part of really smart managers to remove as many irritants from the customer experience as possible (see the Skift interview here with Falcons' CEO Rick McKay). And, being gouged for $8 hot dogs and $12 beers is one of the biggest turn-offs for fans who have already paid a shit-ton for tickets to see grown men risk brain injury.

Will they make it up in volume and increased merchandise sales? Maybe...but that wasn't why the Falcons (who could have been expected to have the highest concession prices to help offset the costs of the new stadium) did it. They did it because they don't want fans gritting their teeth on the way home. They did it because they want their fans to love them even more than they already do.

Pivot to Wisconsin's new Sand Valley Golf Resort, featuring a physical plant so stunningly beautiful that this non-golfer might just take up the game. Like NFL game tickets, it certainly ain't cheap to play Sand Valley. And, the rooms at the Lodge aren't either. But, food prices at the concession stand and the on-site restaurant are beyond reasonable. Maybe even a bit lower than one would expect.

The GM there told me during my tour there a few weeks ago that this, too, was a thoughtful decision on the part of ownership and management. And, they've been getting compliments all summer on the level of customer care their golfers are getting...well beyond the opportunity to play one of America's truly great new courses.

It's something we all need to consider in our businesses...or as DMOs advise their partners: Are the few extra dollars we can extract from a price weary consumer worth their possible reaction to choose some other experience next time?