In the last century, when I was a young whippersnapper, attending classes at what was then and still is called “one of the more famous hotel schools in North America", the marketing professor gave us an interesting, but quite challenging assignment.
We were to find a hospitality business that marketed itself by using the participation of the owner as part of the “distinctiveness” of the business. At the time, this seemed like a most difficult assignment, because in those days, it seemed that not too many people really stood out in this field. At least that what it seemed like to me in my youth. Or maybe it was just that they didn’t want to either make a fool of themselves. There seemed little need to drive the world to their door. In those days, you just opened your doors; and if you had a nice ambiance, combined with the age-old formula of quality, service, cleanliness, and value for money, you were in the cat bird seat. It really was a case of “build it and they will come.” The restaurant business was not as competitive as it is today.
There was still room for everyone. The four corners of every intersection were not yet filled up with four directly competing fast food joints or casual dining spots. Restaurants had not yet become basic undistinguished commodities, like laundry soap, aspirin, or gasoline. The industry had not yet been sullied by copy-cats and me-tooers. There still was lots of individuality. It was still the age of the entrepreneurial independent. Therefore the concept of differentiating yourself by your actions was indeed a unique concept for us greenhorn, wet-behind-the-ears hospitality students.
At first, I was stumped. Then I heard about a crème-de-la-crème restaurant that was owned and operated by one very eccentric dude, I will name "Jules F". He went by the name of Julie. His extravagant location was housed in one of the old original ‘castles’ in the downtown core of this large cosmopolitan, multicultural city. It was named, “Julie’s Mansion". It could only be described as one “phantasmagorical circus”.
Julie was a guy with a heckuva reputation. He was a legend based on his shenanigans in and around town, but particularly inside his restaurant. From the very get-go, he set out to have the most impeccable service and food one could buy in those days. He was also not afraid to charge for it.
He had learned from other area restaurateurs that if he didn’t have fabulous food and competent, courteous service, nothing he did personally would make any difference. These components in the equation were a no-brainer for any foodservice operator who aspired to success, especially with the upper income crowd, which was his target group. He was famous (and with the local branch of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, ‘infamous’) for the tricks he played on his own customers while they were eating—and drinking--in his ‘mansion.’
For this school project, it took me three different visits -- with cap in hand -- to get Julie to agree to let me study him and his methods of marketing the mansion-restaurant. Finally, he relented and let me have the free run of the place. I had lots to do for my assignment and report, so I spent many fun-filled hours watching Julie and his staff ‘do their thing’. Actually, I had so much fun doing this assignment; I stretched it out as long as I could before I handed in my final report to the professor. I really didn't want the fun to stop. Watching Julie in action was a course in itself.Here was a man who literally turned himself and his unique restaurant into a distinctive brand. This was a brand personified by him and his differentiated behavior. The media loved him, the customers loved him because they never knew what to expect next...and the food and service was impeccable. Julie figured that the media could only write so many articles on the architecture of the ‘mansion’; but they could write unending articles about him....and his antics....within the mansion’s context as a unique restaurant in a highly competitive environment. You can do this with your business too.
