How is branding for the hospitality industry unique from branding for other industries?
It’s about branding an experience. That’s an intangible item you have to package and present to consumers in a way they’ll understand and connect with. Since you work in New York City as well as Columbus, would you brand a restaurant, hotel, or stadium here the same way you would in NYC? I would brand them the same way. I see a lot of restaurants and shops that I think ‘Oh, this would be great in Columbus.’ But I can count just as many great places in Columbus that New York would kill for. The same demographics exist in both cities, and they have the same standards – quality, value, service. In either city, the key to a strong brand is being authentic and being bold. You can’t be something you’re not. Consumers are barraged with marketing messages. You’ve got to separate yourself by making a bold, compelling connection. And that doesn’t mean using crazy colors, big type and intense animation. It means being clever and expressing a point of view. How do you brand an upscale restaurant o
