Campaign Project

A C o m p l e t e Market ing Campa ign

S i t u a t i o n a l A n a l y s i sM a r k e t i n g P r o p o s a l

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M a d i s o n W I , 5 3 7 0 3

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A C o m p l e t e M a r k e t i n g C a m p a i g n

D i r e c t o r s

LightCreative

A b e K w i a t k o w s k iL e n n y L a C r o s s eM a r g i e H a r t w i g

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AC o m p l e t eMarket ingCampa ign

C o n t e n t sR e s e a r c h

T a b l e o f C o n t e n t sS e c t i o n 1 : C l i e n t I n f o r m a t i o n & S W O TS e c t i o n 2 : I n d u s t r y D a t aS e c t i o n 3 : C o m p e t i t i o n A n a l y s i s & D a t aS e c t i o n 4 : M a d i s o n E c o n o m i c D e m o g r a p h i c sS e c t i o n 5 : S o c i a l & C u l t u r a l T r e n d sS e c t i o n 6 : T a r g e t M a r k e t A n a l y s i sS e c t i o n 7 : P u b l i c R e l a t i o n s D a t aS e c t i o n 8 : S o u r c e s


Cl ient Background & Informat ion

Opened i n l a te 2010 , Merchant Food & Grocery i s des igned as a f resh out look on the d in ing and bar exper ience for Mad ison . Focus ing on loca l l y sourced and impor ted f resh i ngred ients , Merchant makes a po in t of le t t i ng i t ’ s cus tomer see a t a l l t imes what they are s tock ing and even offer them the oppor tun i ty to purchase i tems for themse lves .With th i s ph i losophy of t ransparency on i t ’ s i ngred ients , Merchant a l so goes a s tep fur ther to show that i t can craf t and take care of every par t of the food i t serves . Cockta i l s a re p repared us ing hand craf ted syrups , f lavor ings , and f resh j u ices , and beer offer ings are w ide and var ied w i th an emphas is on the loca l and un ique .Look ing to appea l to a la rge var ie ty of customers , Merchant a lso uses i t ’ s schedu l i ng to sh i f t gears between var ious aspects of what they can be and what they can do ; dayt ime café w i th l unch and brunch offer ings , even ing locat ion for f i ne d in ing i n a re laxed a tmosphere , and weekend la te n igh t spot for where the t rendy and i n te l l i gent can en joy enter ta inment and en joy the cockta i l t hey deserve .


S W O T A n a l y s i sStrengths

* Management is well connected within the community * New & fresh concept to dining district * Emphasis on high quality * Rotating menu options

* Sustainable & local ingredients * Multiple market appeals * Highly social atmosphere and brand image * Unique services o Purchase of ingredients o Hand crafted cocktails o Preparation transparency * Variety in dining options * Both owners have culinary backgrounds * Reasonably priced for the quality of cuisine

Weaknesses

* Attention divided between multiple target markets

* Still unknown to many in Madison as a new face * Limited menu selections * Low allocation of traditional advertising dollars * Rotating menu eliminates dish loyalty

Opportunities

* Show and advertise innovations in fresh locavore cuisine * Madison consumer culture has a strong emphasis on supporting local businesses

(especially those that wor as politicians and legal professionals) * Closing of Restaurant Magnus opens opportunity for giving former regulars a new place * Close proximity to summer Dane County Farmer’s Market brings with it excellent pedestrian

Threats

* High restaurant density in Madison also leads to high rate of new opening failure * Immediate neighbor bars have traditional “activities” (pool, darts, etc) * Many competitors in close proximity * Economy is causing a number of target customers to re-evaluate spending * In a crowded section of Madison (culinarily speaking)


I n d u s t r y O v e r v i e w & T r e n d s“Gast ropub”One of the common terms be ing used i n re la t ion to bus inesses l i ke Merchant i s “Gast ropub” .“A gast ropub i s a Br i t i sh te rm for a pub wh ich spec ia l i zes i n h igh-qua l i ty food a s tep above the t rad i t ion pub grub . The name i s der ived f rom gast ronomy. The name was co ined i n 1991 when Dav id Eyre and M ike Be lben opened a pub ca l led The Eag le i n C lerkenwe l l , London that p laced an emphas is on the qua l i ty of food served , though th i s was by no means the f i r s t pub to offer good food . ” – word iq .com

Whi le th i s i t se l f i s a vague def in i t ion , a number of o ther sources have come up d i scuss ing v iews of the Gast ropub phenomena . Overa l l , t he most common agreement i s that Gast ropubs are focused more on act ing as pubs and bars wh i le offer ing up foods that a re c loser to appet izers and snacks made of h igh qua l i ty i ngred ients and/or i n cook ing s ty les that embrace more soph is t icated d in ing concepts . Th is means that the cur rent te rm of Gast ropub app l ies to locat ions more focused on the dr i nks than the food . I t i s for th i s reason that th i s repor t recommends avo id ing us ing the term, i n the i n terest of not appear ing to be la tch ing onto whatever t rendy phrase i s out there .

“Locavore” Born out of the env i ronmenta l i s t movement between 2000 and 2010 , th i s i s a cu l i nary ph i losophy and pract ice that works to c reate as many d i shes as poss ib le f rom ingred ients harvested w i th in a 100 m i le rad ius ( rough ly speak ing) of the chef ’s locat ion . As a p ract ice , locavore cook ing puts an emphas is on the env i ronmenta l advantages of not re ly ing on mass sh ipp ing for i ngred ients , the economic advantages of keep ing t ransact ions c lose to home, and the nut r i t iona l advantages of dea l i ng w i th i ng red ients that a re f resh ly harvested . Wh i le Merchant does i ndeed work to embrace these concepts , they do not ho ld to the concept i n a s t r ic t sense . I t i s c loser to say that they work hard on knowing the sources of the i r i ngred ients , even when they impor t f rom out of s ta te or even out of the count ry . Take care i n us ing th i s te rm then , unders tand ing that we do not w ish to imp ly deta i l s that wou ld be unt rue to demograph ics wh ich can be h igh ly voca l i n cases of m is representat ion . I t i s much more accurate to use the term “ sus ta inab le” , refer r i ng to Merchant ’ s p ract ices of buy ing f rom sources that p roduce i n quant i t ies that have low eco log ica l impact , ra ther than f rom la rge i ndust r ia l sources .

“Craf t Cockta i l s ” Th is i s not an off ic ia l te rm as far as most cu l i nary wr i te rs seem to be concerned , bu t i t i s one of ten used to descr ibe a spec i f ic p reparat ion method : hand-made f lavor syrups , f resh squeezed j u ices , h igh qua l i ty (of ten spec ia l i s t d i s t i l l ed) sp i r i t s , and assemb ly and m ix ing of the cockta i l e lements j us t before serv ing . Th is i s a h igh ly accurate descr ip tor for Merchant , and i s a te rm embraced by them as a par t of the i r b rand ident i ty .


o Current Restaurant Count1 (in Madison): 1755o It is estimated that 1 in 10 employed Wisconsinites is a restaurant employee of some sorto The Wisconsin Restaurant Association lists the following as “Hot Picks” for full service restaurants:o Locally-sourced meats, seafood and produceo Sustainabilityo Nutritionally-balanced children’s disheso Hyper-local (ex: restaurant gardens)o Gluten-free / food allergy consciouso Simplicity / back-to-basics

* based on Urbanspoon.com’s counts for the Madison Metropolitan Area


C o m p e t i t i o n & C o m p e t i t i v e A n a l y s i s[ D a t a ]

Brunch Lunch Dinner Late

IndirectCompetition

DirectCompetition

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s e r v i c e s t h r o u g h o u t t h e d a y , o u r b e s t w a y t o l o o k a t t h i s i s s u e

v e c t o r s f o r a n a l y s i s a n d c o n s i d e r a t i o n .

T h e s u m m a r y t a b l e b e l o w a l s o i l l u s t r a t e s a c a t e g o r y t h a t M e r-

c h a n t d e s i r e d e x a m i n a t i o n o f : a p o s s i b l e f u t u r e i n c r e a t i n g a

d o w n t o w n d i n i n g c o m m u n i t y . W h i l e s u c h g o a l s a r e n o t

d i r e c t l y w i t h i n t h e p u r v i e w o f a n a d v e r t i s i n g c a m p a i g n , f u t u r e

t h e s e b u s i n e s s e s .

G r e a t D a n e

M a r i g o l d K i t c h e n


C o m p e t i t i o n & C o m p e t i t i v e A n a l y s i s[ C o n t ]

throughout the day, our best way to look at this issue is to take samples and

B r u n c h The Brunch aspect of Merchant has a low instance of geographical competition.

this will come with the return of the DCFM - Dane County Farmer’s Market (see Opportunities).

Marigold Kitchen Closer to a traditional café than a full service restaurant, Marigold acts as a far more casual counterpoint to Merchant while still using certain similarities in

an edge on Merchant in establishing a regular clientele for brunch. However, it is mostly catering to a very mobile or casual diner while Merchant is

opportunities of brunch, look to act as a counterpoint to Merigold’s casual counter service rather than direct competition.

Sardine Sardine stands as the closest competition to Merchant’s brunch target and style.

croissants. This means there will be a limit to what can be shown for brunch advertising, however this may be an advantage given that Marigold has already covered a good family-friendly brand across the street (see above).

Brocach Irish Pub

spotlighting hashs, soups, and sandwiches. As a contrast to the variety of

comfort food brunch rather than something unique and new. As will be looked at in the lunch analysis (see below), this style of food is very popular in winter months and will be much better to advertise alternatives during the DCFM months and help build and establish a new brand for brunch on the weekends.

A C o m p l e t e Market ing Campa ignC o m p e t i t i o n & C o m p e t i t i v e A n a l y s i s

[ C o n t ]L u n c h Lunch currently still can see growth for Merchant, especially as they analyze their offerings. Many politicians from the square are known to do more takeout orders than extended stays from their offices, and area professionals have perhaps not fully come to establish Merchant as a viable stop in their minds.Great Dane Strong following for lunch crowd, with a high degree of loyalty and return business. Many workday lunches observed to be in the form of pickup from those that called ahead from their offices. Dine-in during lunch by area professionals seem to have been working lunches, with the sound baffling from the booths assisting in giving the talking space needed. Merchant may wish to capitalize on the business lunch group in the form of client entertainment to offer an alternative to Great Dane’s established strength as a good place to work and eat.Marigold Kitchen Much like brunch, the lunch atmosphere in Marigold Kitchen is closer to a café than a full restaurant. Without repeating the points made in the Brunch section (see above), Merchant has a better chance of competing with Marigold on it’s offerings of cocktails and spirits with lunch. Inquire with the bartenders at Merchant if there are any non-alcoholic options for lunch customers that possibly have strict drinking policies (such as government buildings)Old Fashioned Designed to be brisk and easy for pickups during lunch time. So far, however, the floor serving staff has shown to be impatient and somewhat unprofessional during lunch when the crowds get too demanding. Most of the strength for the Old Fashioned from customers comments has been in it’s high end burger and tavern fare, which has no direct analog at Merchant. While this works quite well during the winter, warmer months can see tastes changing to needing something lighter and more refreshing.The Coopers Tavern The downtown entry for the Food Fight group of restaurants, The Cooper Tavern is again a competition entry that is getting business because of its use of tavern style food with high quality ingredients. From a lunch stop perspective, this often appeals to diners that are looking for quality while not straying far from comfort food. As with the Old Fashioned, offering alternative fare to their heavy offerings might allow for market penetration best in spring and summer.Brocach Irish Pub Another in the tavern style offerings of the Capitol Square area, the Brocach is seeing popularity in it’s food for the same reasons as Cooper and Old Fashioned, with an interior design that lends itself to pockets of privacy. With the predominance of these styles of food and atmosphere, Merchant is in a good position to also be advertised as an alternative to what may be seen as a concept quickly becoming cliché. best in spring and summer.

A C o m p l e t e Market ing Campa ignC o m p e t i t i o n & C o m p e t i t i v e A n a l y s i s

[ C o n t ]C l u b / L a t e N i g h t The atmosphere of Merchant in its Friday & Saturday “night club” configuration is most certainly a different atmosphere than many might expect from such close proximity to the capitol square. While previous focuses of Merchant have been about the food offerings, this is when the craft cocktail aspect can best be showcased. Observed clientele have shown to be highly socially networked, with many using the location to see others and meet with friends. Once again, this is a portion of the business that is flourishing, though from many accounts this is due to the interconnected nature Merchant. Late night offerings are still evolving, with chefs looking to make Merchant versions of “traditional” bar food.Opus Built almost exclusively around the cocktail experience, but does this more with extreme conversation piece drinks rather than high class high art ones. Food offerings are bar and finger food; a bit more classy than what you might f ind at the tavern locations, but not worked from an angle of craft chefs attempting new flavors. Low threat for direct confrontation, may work as a good location for synergistic ‘cocktail trail’ marketing.Plan B Trading on a reputation as a gay/alternate dance club in a college town, Plan B has a high patronage by “the beautiful people’, but also a reputation for getting the surly and the vapid as well. As we were told, there is a good amount of trade in customers due to bartenders that work both places. However, from what is said in reviews and customer interviews, this may have more to do with “the right sort” of customers from Plan B getting clued to a more sophisticated location like Merchant; stylish and intelligent gay and alternate customers, rather than those that just hang on and want to be “in the scene” at any cost.Madison’s Higher incidence of casual walk-in, often with just a bit less dress than what’s at Merchant. More traditional in it’s social offerings and scene, appealing to the older college type that are still heavy into partying but want to do so in a location a bit more upscale than a fraternity house. Does offer dining, focusing on comfort food and familiarity while mixing in a few mid-range exotic offerings (ahi tuna, fresh mozzerella, etc), but does not attempt to pass itself off in the same range as Merchant’s dining.Great Dane Food offerings in the same tier as Madison’s, but appealing to a slightly more professional crowd. Much more about the craft beers and local brewing, as well as the hardy tavern fare. Primarily competes with Merchant in it’s entrenched loyalty of so may lawyers, politicians, and older professionals. Is also a multi-location brand within Madison, and invites further loyalty by crossing into family-friendly dining.


M a d i s o n D e m o g r a p h i c s

When examining the demographic criteria of Madison and bordering communities, we looked at the following statistics:

* Household family status * Zip code median income * Education status * Age

Below is a basic breakdown of this data, with more detailed statistics for each district later in the section.

Zip Median Highest % Education Median %Family Age Income Households53703 Downtown Residential 23.3 Bachelor’s (32.1%) $23,365 12.5%53704 Central North-East 35 Bachelor’s (23.2%) $49,132 50.8%53715 Central West 23.6 Bachelor’s (30.9%) $30,796 21.4%53705 West Commercial 34.1 Bachelor’s (30.1%) $53,032 51.6%53714 Central South-East 36.5 High School (31.6%) $48,648 59.2%53716 East-Monona 40 High School (27.7%) $58,971 64.3%53711 West Residential 36 Bachelor’s (30.4%) $68,359 63.2%


Z i p C o d e A n a l y s i s

53703 (Downtown Residential)Est. 2009 population: 31,576Median age: 23.3 years old2009 estimated median household income: $23,365Family households: 12.5%Estimated same-sex households (self-reported): 1%Highest education levels: Bachelor’s degree (32.1%), Master’s degree (20.8%), 1 or more years of college (14%)

53704 (Central North-East)Est. 2009 population: 51,067Median age: 35 years old2009 estimated median household income: $49,132Family households: 50.8%Estimated same-sex households (self-reported): 1.7%Highest education levels: Bachelor’s (23.2%), High school (23.2%), 1 or more years of college (15.1%)

53715 (Central West)Est. 2009 population: 13,566Median age: 23.6 years old2009 estimated median household income: $30,796Family households: 21.4%Estimated same-sex households (self-reported): 0.8%Highest education levels: Bachelor’s (30.9%), Master’s (16.4%), High school (16.3%)


Z i p C o d e A n a l y s i s53705 (West Commercial)Est. 2009 population: 36,203Median age: 34.1 years old2009 estimated median income: $53,032Family households: 51.6%Estimated same-sex households (self-reported): 0.8%Highest education levels: Bachelor’s (30.1%), Master’s (21.8%), Doctorate (11.6%)

53714 (Central South-East)Est. 2009 population: 17,970Median age: 36.5 years old2009 estimated median income: $48,648Family households: 59.2%Estimated same-sex households (self-reported): 0.9%Highest education levels: High School (31.6%), Bachelor’s (15%), 1 or more years of college (14.6%)

53716 (East-Monona)Est. 2009 population: 22,551Median age: 40 years old2009 estimated median income: $58,971Family households: 64.3%Estimated same-sex households (self-reported): 0.9%Highest education levels: High School (27.7%), Bachelor’s (22.9%), 1 or more years of college (16.4%)

53711 (West Residential)Est. 2009 population: 52,886Median age: 36 years old2009 estimated median income: $68,359Family households: 63.2%Estimated same-sex households (self-reported): 0.8%Highest education levels: Bachelor’s (30.4%), High school (15.2%), Master’s (14.2%)


S o c i a l A n d C u l t u r a l T r e n d s

1 ) S o c i a l M e d i a a r e t h e n e w g a t e k e e p e r s

W i t h c h a n g e s i n t h e e c o n o m y a n d j o u r n a l i s m , m a n y o f t h e o l d s t a n d b y s

f o r f o o d o p i n i o n s h a v e b e e n s w e p t a w a y i n f a v o r o f f o o d b l o g g e r s a n d

i n t e r n e t r e v i e w s . l o o k f o r w a y s t o b o t h a t t r a c t t h e s e i n d i v i d u a l s t o t h e

l o c a t i o n , a s w e l l a s m o n i t o r a n d l i s t e n t o w h a t t h e y m a y b e s a y i n g f o r

i m p r o v e m e n t .

2 ) T a r t a n d B i t t e r a r e t h e n e w S w e e t

A m e r i c a n s a r e s t e e r i n g a w a y f r o m t h e o b s e s s i o n w i t h s w e e t , a n d h a v e

b e e n t a k i n g u p i n t e r e s t i n b i t t e r a n d t a r t f l a v o r s . H i g h e n d c o f f e e , d a r k

c h o c o l a t e , a s i a n p i c k l e s , a n d o t h e r s u c h a c c e n t s a r e b e c o m i n g t h e n e w

w a y t o g e t a t t e n t i o n .

3 ) M i x i t u p w i t h u n i q u e m i x e r s

L o o k t o m a k e d r i n k s a n d c o c k t a i l s a s s o m e t h i n g m o r e t h a n j u s t t h e

a l c o h o l . M i x o l o g i s t s a n d b a t e n d e r s a r e n o w l o o k i n g t o a c a i b e r r y a n d

g i n s e n g a s a d d i t i v e s t o c o c k t a i l s a n d d r i n k s , t e m p t i n g c u s t o m e r s w i t h a

n u t r i t i o n a l a d d i t i o n t o t h e i r o f f e r i n g s . T h i s e x t e n d s i n t o h a n d c r a f t e d a n d

f r e s h i n g r e d i e n t s , m a k i n g t h e p e r c e i v e d v a l u e o f o r d e r i n g f r o m t h e b a r

t h a t m u c h m o r e a p p e a l i n g t o d i s c e r n i n g d i n e r s .

4 ) S h o w y o u r L o c a v o r e c o l o r s a n d s h o w t h e m p r o u d l y

A s M e r c h a n t k n o w s a n d h a s d e m o n s t r a t e d , t h e r e i s a d i s t i n c t a d v a n t a g e

t o s h o w i n g w h a t y o u d o w i t h l o c a l a n d f r e s h i n g r e d i e n t s . A d v e r t i s i n g a n d

m a r k e t i n g i n t h i s d o m a i n m u s t b e a c c u r a t e a n d s i n c e r e , a s t h e r e i s a

g r e a t d e a l o f b a c k l a s h t h a t c a n b e f o u n d i f e v e n t h e w r o n g i m p r e s s i o n i s

g i v e n .


S o c i a l A n d C u l t u r a l T r e n d s[ C o n t ]

5) Find new ways to make social dining workRestaurants are becoming less places to eat, and more places to seek sanctuary. The more the diner feels a reason to eat with friends and stay, the better the impression. This goes beyond internal layout; adaptive servers, pacing of dishes, lighting, and mid-range food offerings to entice a visit of snacking or tapas-like dining all help to keep a customer seated and develop a loyalty and attachment to their favored dining spots.

6) Know your local beer labelsIt’s all well and good to have a list of microbrews on the menu, but it will mean little without knowledge. Some customers may see beers in such broad terms that they may need guidance on what is best for them, while others may want to try something new but be very particular on what they like. Many of the most successful restraints in the country that offer local labels and/or microbrews should be ready to know them as well as they know their wine selection.

7) Highlight nutritionWith food offerings becoming a more and more complex issue in modern society, one of the best ways to entice exploration is with emphasizing how dishes can be nutritious. It’s not that everything must be low fat or approved by some diet; fresh produce, handmade sauces, nutritional garnishes, and other ingredients that can offset some “diner’s guilt”. Also offering unique spins on traditionally “diet” dishes can help build a return and loyal patronage.

8) Fancy comfort foodOne of the new ways to get attention is with gormet versions of classic comfort foods. High end burgers, corn dogs, and mac & cheese are quickly becoming ways to get the attention of a dining crowd that comes from a generation of fast fooders looking to ditch their old ways.


T a r g e t M a r k e t A n a l y s i s

Profile General Demographics

Young Academic Age 22 – 26, college education, urban addressMid-Life Epicurian Age 40 – 55, college education, homeownerDowntown Regular Age 20 – 60Relaxed Professional Age 28 – 45, college educationPrincipled Foodie Age 22 – 50, high speed internet connection, at least partial college level educationTrendy Barhopper Age 21 - 30Emerging Adult Age 23 – 30, post-entry level employmentNeo-Socialite Age 22 – 35, mobile data userAdventuring Madisonian Age 30 – 55, at last partial college educationSocial Diner Post-entry level employment, high media subscription rate


M a r k e t S e g m e n t a t i o n The owners of Merchant are looking to appeal to a certain “lifestyle” segment, rather than a strict sort of Age/Gender/Income hierarchy. This keeps in line with their distinctive alterations of service between different day parts, and should carry over into any and all advertising propositions put forward. What follows are a number of different customer/client types either sought by Merchant, or that have been observed already seeking Merchant out. This is not a comprehensive or definitive look at who is an optimal customer for Merchant, but rather helps establish certain trends and baselines for advertising methods.Young Academic Characterized by being quite often in their early to mid-20s, these are the UW Madison students that have moved past chugging beers and have developed an appreciation for the occasional taste of the finer things in life. Moved from their dorms, they inhabit the downtown residential areas and have enough work that the time spent at “just the right bar” is time well spent for them. Conversation and social movements are more important than “the game”, though anything is worth talking about while they relax.Mid-Life Epicurean Having found the pace they want in life, these clients have been able to understand and appreciate what it takes for truly good food. They have tasted and sampled so much that it has given them perspective on what is good and what is innovative. Often this comes with having a decent amount of income to enjoy, as well as close friends that can have regular dinners without examining where every dollar goes. While these may be generous spenders, they also are ones who will frequent many different locations. What likely keeps bringing them back is knowledge that the menu will remain high-class but see constant renewal.Downtown Regular Knows the area for various reasons, and can come in ages from 20 to 60. Likely seeks out spots for shopping and dining as a way of staying in touch with what they see as “real Madison”. If there is a difficulty in working with this customer profile, it is getting and keeping their attention. Likely the best offerings to entice return business are flavorful lunch offerings, mid-day drinks, and visibility in publications like Madison Magazine and Isthmus.Relaxed Professional Working downtown brings with it both advantages and challenges. Often this translates into spending longer hours at or around work, which eventually brings with it a necessity to understand what offerings are in the area for different situations. This customer profile will see Merchant as a location for entertaining clients, taking a meal where no work or office intrusions come into play, or unwinding after work with a special indulgence. In some cases this will become a social aspect for the customer; meeting friends from the office or having friends meet him someplace close to where he works. The value added concept will come from not having to navigate transportation away from where they work, or perhaps having convenient ramp parking.


M a r k e t S e g m e n t a t i o n [ C o n t ]Principled Foodie These customers see the widest variety in backgrounds and demographics, but come because of an appreciation either for a meal properly crafted or food that’s locally sourced. In both cases, this means that the choice of Merchant is one of personal values and ideals, and might invite the highest number of customers that will enjoy the rotating menu. Like other profiles, this group comes with a high degree of social connection. However, these connections may take the form of online networks, blogs, dining circles, or other connections based on dining. Of greatest importance to this profile will be service and unique flavors, with craft cocktails adding an additional pull is shown off properly.Mid-Life Epicurean Having found the pace they want in life, these clients have been able to understand and appreciate what it takes for truly good food. They have tasted and sampled so much that it has given them perspective on what is good and what is innovative. Often this comes with having a decent amount of income to enjoy, as well as close friends that can have regular dinners without examining where every dollar goes. While these may be generous spenders, they also are ones who will frequent many different locations. What likely keeps bringing them back is knowledge that the menu will remain high-class but see constant renewal.Trendy Barhopper Stylish, social, and always on the cutting edge. In a world more connected than ever, it’s important to be on the lips of people you meet, though not so overexposed that everyone knows about you. The Trendy Barhopper needs a place to keep their movement exciting, needs to know who is working where and how best to look good when making their suggestions. Like the Foodie, this group will often be hooked into some sort of online network and will enjoy seeing new takes on trends they follow. This profile is seen most during late dinner and on the weekend. To keep them coming back, stay current with communication and look to establish a presence without insisting that attention is always paid.Emerging Adult Graduates, young professionals, and those with a growing income but still a thirst for excitement. Ranging from 23-30, this is the profile that is marching on capitol hill protests or just starting to make a name in their company. Both are dumping the cheap beer and may be just starting to learn what it tastes like to have the finer things in life. This profile fits into all parts of the day, and is the fastest to learn the details of a place thanks to growing up with the internet every step of the way.


M a r k e t S e g m e n t a t i o n [ C o n t ]Neo-Socialite Where previous profiles for customers under 35 have all emphasized the use of network sites, the Neo-Socialite lives by the networks they are in or know of. Instead of hopping from one location to another, they like to establish their presence and have a central hub where they can meet and greet. Added incentives to network subscribing (beyond simple mailing lists or coupons) will endear you to this profile, and smartphones are as much a part of their outfit as anything else.Adventuring Madisonian While Madison is not the biggest city in the state, it still has a character all it’s own. Part of this character is how different the city becomes as you move from on side of the isthmus to the other, and how regionalized people can get. However, this concept of “West/Central/East” can work when you have customers looking for excuses to break out of their usual and go dive into someplace new in their own backyard. Instead of personal online social media, these customers might be more ready to make a night of it thanks to an article in the paper or Madison Magazine. Perhaps some regular spots in syndicate blogs for the area. Especially common is for this profile to go in for events like the DCFM, Art Fair on the Square, Taste of Madison, Wine and Food trade show, or Overture Center events. Traditional media still makes a difference to this profile, but less on overt ads and gimmicks and more on substance and quality.Social Diner Where the Epicurean and the Foodie are geared towards two different general age ranges, the Social Diner can include customers from across the general age range. They are less picky about process than the Foodie and less set in expectations than the Epicurean. What will most appeal to Merchant is the prospect an extended stay with items brought out at a pace that does not make them feel rushed to leave. Conversation and seating will be matters of high value, while the night life aspect may signal for them to move on and turn over the space to the next set of customers. Traditional media will play a large part in initial exposure, though the prospect of social networking with definite value will keep them coming back.

Addendum Beyond the profiles described above, Merchant has also expressed a direct interest in attracting and/or appealing to the gay community of Madison. As noted in analysis of the night club Plan B, much of the nightlife directly marketing to the LGBT community of Madison is focusing on image and flash. Gimmick driven shows and events, large dance space, and a focus on the young and/or hedonistic demographic places most offerings to LGBT Madison with many options but few variety. Specialized advertising should more happen with reaching out through community channels in Madison, rather than entertainment. While there is indeed crossover in customers that are appealed by the current gay club and bar offerings and what Merchant has, there would appear to be a larger portion at these other venues that would not fit into the target profiles. Going through community and advocate newsletters would offer exposure to LGBT customers not drawn to the existing venues because of a lack of interest in those scenes and needing a welcoming place for drinks and food.

Campaign Project

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