If you're a restaurant or food business owner looking to get noticed online, you've likely heard the term SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). But did you know that there are two main types of SEO; Paid SEO and Organic SEO? Understanding the difference between them can help you know how to use both in your digital strategy to boost your website's visibility and attract more footfall.
In this guide, we’ll be looking at…
Put simply, SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. It’s the process of improving your website so that it ranks higher in search engine results (like Google and Bing) when people search for things related to your food business.
For example, if you run a start up street food business in Coventry, you want your website to rank high when someone searches for “street food Coventry” or “food truck Coventry”. Optimising your website for SEO uses techniques on your website and off your website to help improve this ranking.
Organic SEO refers to the natural ways your website can rank higher on search engines for key phrases (eg; "best restaurants in Birmingham" without the need for an advertising media budget. It’s all about improving your website so that it earns its place in search results without paying for ads. It's worth noting that, organic results typically appear below the paid advertising in search engines.
Top key factors that help your website rank for organic SEO include:
Organic SEO is a long term strategy that focuses on building sustainable online visibility for your food business, which helps you understand why SEO is important.
Paid SEO, on the other hand, involves investing media spend in advertising to compete with other websites at the top of search engines. These are typically labelled as “sponsored” or “ad” on search engines. And paid SEO works on a cost per click (CPC) basis.
For example, if you run a fish and chips shop in Coventry, you could pay to ensure your website appears when someone searches for “best fish and chips Coventry” or “traditional fish and chips takeaway”. Paid SEO allows you to quickly reach potential customers who are actively searching for classic British meals like the ones you serve. The higher you bid and allocate budget the better chance you have of showing over your competitors.
Top key factors that help your website rank for paid SEO include:
Paid SEO is a great way to drive quick traffic to your website, especially during promotions or busy seasons.
It’s worth noting that an optimal digital marketing strategy typically incorporates both paid and organic search tactics. So whilst it’s helpful to look at paid SEO vs organic SEO, both forms of SEO are equally as important in your strategy.
For restaurant and food business owners, combining paid and organic SEO offers the best of both worlds:
At Eat Marketing, we understand the unique challenges of food businesses. Our team can create a tailored SEO strategy that blends both paid and organic SEO to get the best results for your business. Here’s how we can help…
SEO doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By understanding the differences between paid vs organic SEO and leveraging both, we’ll help create a balanced strategy that drives more customers to your food business website.
Want to grow your online presence? Contact us today.
The marketing world is ever-evolving, and keeping pace with the latest food and drink trends can feel like a full-time job. In 2024, food marketing was shaped by technological innovations, sustainability, and the ever-expanding power of social media. As we move into 2025, the stakes are even higher for food businesses aiming to stay ahead of the curve.
To help you satisfy your customers’ appetites and stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace, here are 6 food marketing trends for 2025.
TikTok remains a game changer in the food and drink space. By 2025, the platform’s ability to drive consumer behaviour and influence global sales has solidified its role as an essential marketing tool. With over 37 billion views on #FoodTok alone, TikTok trends such as “#TikTokMadeMeTryIt” continue to turn food products into overnight sensations.
If you’re not yet on TikTok, 2025 is the year to create that account and start posting. Here’s a few tips on how to crack this 2025 marketing trend…
We mentioned this at the start of 2024, and it seems that social media’s importance and evolution within the food marketing industry is still something that should be capitalised on in 2025. Social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok are go-to destinations for customer queries, brand research, and even shopping. Features such as AI-powered chatbots, live shopping events, and direct messaging for support are transforming how consumers interact with brands.
A responsive and cohesive social presence in 2025 will be crucial for building trust and keeping customers engaged, in order to make the most of this 2025 food marketing trend.
In 2024, minimalism and sustainability dominated food packaging trends. For 2025, the bar has been raised with the introduction of compostable, reusable, and even edible packaging. Designs are expected to feature clean lines, ample negative space, and earthy tones that highlight a food brand’s commitment to eco-conscious values.
Pairing minimalist designs with stylised illustrations or bold pops of colour can help products capture attention, while reinforcing your modern, sustainable ethos that consumers care about more and more.
This also goes hand in hand with the idea around functional and reusable packaging design. We predict that more food businesses will be moving towards packaging that can be reused or repurposed by customers, such as jars that double as storage containers or boxes designed for secondary use. This approach not only reduces waste but also creates added value for customers, making your product stand out in a crowded market.
QR codes have become a staple in dining, but 2025 marketing trends show a deeper integration with AR technology. Interactive menus that provide 3D views of dishes, highlight nutritional information, or showcase ingredient sourcing are on the rise.
Restaurants that embrace these innovations will appeal to Gen Z diners, who are seeking more personalised and tech-driven experiences.
Striking visuals are essential for grabbing attention, and in 2025, bold typography combined with dynamic graphics will dominate food packaging and general brand design. From sharp, clean fonts to playful handwritten scripts, expressive typography helps communicate key product details while showcasing your brand identity.
Trend 6: Emphasis on health and wellness 
Health-conscious consumers are more discerning than ever, and 2025 marketing trends highlight the need for packaging that emphasises well-being. Clear labelling, natural ingredients, and functional benefits will remain key drivers in categories like plant-based foods, functional beverages, and fresh produce.
Showcasing your commitment to health and wellness through thoughtful design and messaging will resonate with an audience eager to make better lifestyle choices.
Want to know more about how to integrate these trends into your food brand strategy for 2025? Get in touch with us today.
Now we’re over halfway through the first month of 2025, we’re all gearing up for another year of innovation and change within the food industry. Understanding these changes can help restaurant owners stay ahead of the curve and meet customer demands.
Join us as we explore a variety of restaurant trends for 2025 that are set to shape the restaurant industry this year, from aesthetics to the ingredients that will be trending. Trends include…
Over the years, we’ve seen that diners are becoming increasingly more drawn to intimate, personalised dining experiences, and in 2025, smaller, bespoke, nostalgic restaurants will rise in popularity.
Michael Vignola, Culinary Director of Catch Hospitality Group, shares his thoughts on this restaurant trend for 2025; “Smaller, bespoke and nostalgic restaurants will become increasingly popular. These kinds of
Exotic ingredients like truffles and mushrooms will continue to shine in 2025. Patrick Ochs, Executive Chef for INK Entertainment, notes; “Truffles and exotic mushrooms are highly sought-after ingredients… elevating many gourmet dishes to a luxurious experience.”
Simplicity will also be key, with garden-fresh produce like vegetables and fruits taking centre stage, with more and more diners restaurants focusing on minimal preparation to highlight natural flavours.
Sustainability will remain at the forefront, with diners seeking ethically sourced, local produce. From reducing food waste to using sustainable packaging, restaurants will need to meet customer demand for eco-friendly practices. Thoughtful sourcing and reducing meat consumption in favour of plant-based dishes will also be a key restaurant trend for 2025.
The decline in British farming, partly due to the inheritance relief tax reform, is pushing chefs to partner directly with farmers. The National Farmers’ Union reports that UK farmers have seen their income drop by over 20% in the past decade. In response, chefs are focusing on locally sourced ingredients.
In 2025, chefs will have to be much more proactive in helping farmers keep producing food that’s ethically sourced.
Technology will continue to evolve in the restaurant world. Contactless payment systems, digital menus, and AI-driven reservations will become more commonplace, enhancing the dining experience.
Luxury mixed with accessibility aesthetic is taking over the restaurant high street. Brands like Flat Iron, which has seen 20% projected growth over the next two years, are leading this trend.
The “casual-luxe” style is redefining dining, offering customers a comfortable, yet stylish, atmosphere at an affordable price.
Smashed patties are taking the UK by storm. The trend, known for its crispy, flavour-packed texture, is now a favourite in many burger joints. As consumer demand for high quality fast food grows, smashed pa
Ghost kitchens, or virtual kitchens, are transforming the food delivery market. These kitchen-only operations focus on online orders, reducing overhead costs associated with physical spaces.
The global ghost kitchen market is expected to grow 12.5% annually over the next five years. Ghost kitchens allow businesses to reach a wider customer base while cutting down on real estate costs, making them a key restaurant trend for 2025.
Restaurants this year will focus more on being community hubs. By engaging with local events and suppliers, restaurants can build strong ties with their customers.
One of our clients, Larder, an independent casual finding restaurant, for example, works closely with local suppliers and butchers, creating dishes that showcase regional produce. Having recently launched their showstopper dish ‘Craftman’s Cut”, which aims to celebrate their relationship with their local butchers.
Trend 10: Themed dining experiences
Themed dining is transforming the UK restaurant scene, offering guests more than just a meal, it’s about creating shareable experiences. From live jazz nights, tropical tiki bars to musical bottomless brunch, such as Taylor Swift themed events, these stand out food experiences have exploded in popularity, combining lively entertainment with food and endless drinks.
Similarly, themed afternoon teas, whether it’s Alice in Wonderland or Bridgerton-inspired, are delighting diners with creative menus and decor. These experiences are highly Instagrammable and have become a hit on TikTok, so expect to see even more of them throughout the year.
By pairing food with music or elaborate themes, restaurants are tapping into the growing demand for fun, interactive, and social media-ready dining moments.
2025 is set to be an exciting year for the restaurant industry, with trends focusing on nostalgia, simplicity, sustainable sourcing, and innovation. By embracing these shifts, whether in your menu, ingredients, or customer experience, you can stay ahead of the competition and deliver what diners are looking for to secure those all important table bookings.
So, you’re a startup that wants to spread the word about your brand’s unique selling points (USPs), but you’re not sure how to go about it? Sounds like you need to implement a food product marketing strategy that will educate your consumers, whilst satisfying their cravings.
From interactive social content, influencer marketing, to captivating storytelling and digital campaigns, join us as we take a look at the food product marketing strategies that will actually work for you.
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again, when it comes to your startup food brand, social media is your gateway to connect directly with your audience. Through platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, you can humanise your brand and showcase all the best bits about your business, without it feeling too much like a hard sell.
How can I implement this food product marketing strategy?
What customer doesn’t like a brand that goes the extra mile to create memorable experiences? It’s a great way to get people talking and will have them coming back for seconds and thirds.
How can I implement this food product marketing strategy?
Although often a secondary touchpoint, your website still matters and there’s some great ways to educate consumers about your brand when they land on your website.
How can I implement this food product marketing strategy?
Educational campaigns offer valuable opportunities to engage your audience, and the whole purpose of having a food product marketing strategy is to educate consumers about the benefits and unique features of your products.
How can I implement this food product marketing strategy?
Ready to elevate your brand's food marketing? Get in touch with us for access to our latest insight guide to help your food start up business implement these food product marketing strategies, and see real results.
In the competitive world of the food industry, effective marketing is the key ingredient for success. Join us as we explore 7 ways to enhance your food marketing strategy and look at why is food marketing important when it comes to your business getting the results you deserve.
Simply put, if you don't market your food business, people won't know about it, and you won't sell anything. Food marketing gives you the power to influence people's food choices, enhance brand recognition, gain a competitive edge, foster customer loyalty, and boost sales.
Essentially, food marketing shines a spotlight on your brand, creating not just awareness, but a compelling narrative that resonates with consumers. In a world where there are plenty of food options, a well-crafted marketing strategy can elevate your brand from the ordinary to the extraordinary, ensuring that your food or drinks are not just consumed, but remembered.
Your brand is more than just a logo; it’s all about your brand’s story and using it to engage with people. Yes, it's important to get across what you offer, but people want to know the values and passion behind your food. This is also an opportunity to shout about some of your most standout values, like sustainability. So, why is food marketing important in this instance? Well, it’s a golden opportunity to naturally highlight your USPs, connect with your audience and stand out in a crowded market.
Another great way to improve your food marketing is to welcome the influence of social media. As of 2023, there are 4.95 billion people actively using social media in the world. This will help you establish a direct connection with your audience, which is why food marketing is important. From developing high-quality photography and content, engaging with customers who reach out, to forming partnerships with influencers to broaden your reach, social media is your best friend when it comes to reaping the benefits of food marketing.
We've all been there, scrolling through food options on our mobile phones before deciding where to dine or placing an online order. Given that mobile devices account for a whopping 60% of all digital restaurant orders today, it's essential that you streamline the process for your customers, making it as easy as possible for them to order from your website, learn more about your brand or just browse the menu.
To achieve this, ensure your website is responsive, reflective of your brand in terms of tone of voice and design, and easy to navigate on mobile screens. You’ll not only enhance the user experience, but also cater to the increasing trend of mobile-based interactions in the food industry.
It’s all well and good having great online content, but to truly catapult your food business into the digital limelight, it’s important for you to align your content to a strong SEO strategy. SEO is the secret sauce that ensures your online brand, including your website and social channels, attracts a steady stream of organic traffic.
By incorporating relevant keywords, optimising meta tags, and enhancing the overall structure of your website, you pave the way for improved search engine rankings. This provides your brand with heightened visibility, making it easier for potential customers to discover your delicious offerings and stand out in the digital landscape.
What’s the best way to create a sense of urgency and encourage potential customers to try your food sooner rather than later? Limited-time exclusive promotions and discounts. You can align these promotions with seasonal events or even the launch of a new tasty menu item to maximise impact. This is where leveraging your online presence will help too, from social media, your website to email marketing, broadcast these exclusive offers in as many places as you can online to effectively engage with your audience, new and old.
By generating an organic online buzz around your business deals, you’ll not only boost interest, but also foster a sense of loyalty amongst your customers who want to sink their teeth into your mouth watering offers.
When it comes to food marketing, well-designed packaging goes beyond merely standing out; it serves as a silent ambassador for your brand, enticing potential customers, expanding your reach and leaving a lasting impression. Visually appealing packaging not only catches the eye, but also gets across the essence of your brand and the quality of your culinary offerings.
When asking why is food marketing important, it helps to understand that things like well-designed packaging is the first point of contact between your product and the consumer, influencing purchasing decisions on a subconscious level and helping you set the stage for a positive consumer experience.
Immerse your brand in the local culinary scene by actively participating in food events and festivals. Beyond boosting visibility, these engagements create a personal connection with your community and help to foster authenticity and trust in a live setting, allowing potential customers to experience the passion behind your food.
These events are also perfect for gathering feedback and building rapport contributing to long-term sustainability, and encouraging word-of-mouth marketing. It’s important you take these types of opportunities to connect with your audience beyond the digital realm.
In the fiercely competitive food industry, the key ingredient for success lies in effective food marketing. Having looked at why food marketing is important, all that’s left to ask is whether you’re ready to take your food marketing to the next level and achieve tasty results.
Get in touch with us today to start the ball rolling.
Creating a memorable restaurant dining experience is essential to the success of your food brand. From creating the right atmosphere to creating a strong content strategy, getting it just right will increase repeat custom and revenue. Join us as we share our tips on how to make your restaurant experience unforgettable.
When you look at your restaurant brand, what do you see? And, more importantly, what do customers see? The continued rise of the internet and social media in particular, guarantees customer engagement, which means, as a brand, you need to give more and do more than sell your food and move on.
Building a strong and unique brand identity allows customers to form positive perceptions of your restaurant. The process is not as simple as just having a catchy name and logo.
Take Wagamama’s instantly recognisable identity in the UK’s casual dining sector. They include a range of digital brand elements that distinguish its restaurants from the competition.
Over the years, the popular Asian-inspired chain restaurant has evolved, with a particular emphasis on their belief that good food has a range of spiritual and physical benefits, to resonate with its customers.
Telling your restaurant’s unique story in your communications is important to your customers as it forms part of your brand identity and will keep diners coming back to the restaurant experience you have to offer.
Having a unique brand and making this your point of difference sets your restaurant apart from the competition, keeps people intrigued and ensures customers come back for more. It also ensures your restaurant dining experience is personal to your brand and can't be replicated which also increases repeat custom.
Influencer Marketing has been one of the most talked about content strategies in recent years. This type of social media marketing can help restaurants elevate brand affinity, through influencers sharing their authentic experiences. With the opportunity for influencers to act as brand ambassadors and influence their followers to gain restaurants more attraction.
This strategy worked particularly well for Brewers Fayre. They targeted micro-parent influencers to enjoy a free meal with their family. 31 influencers created 48 Instagram static posts, 10 Reels and 98 Stories. This helped the brand build trust and increase engagement.
Influencer Marketing is extremely powerful as it provides instant online engagement for restaurants. Promoting their experiences with brands in a natural way, successfully fosters and builds real brand advocacy. If it works for Brewers Fayre, it can work for you.
Digital technology is transforming the restaurant experience with the opportunity for brands to innovate and take their customers on a unique and memorable food journey.
As the gap between digital and real life merges, it’s important that restaurants meet customers' demands and adopt digital technologies, one way to achieve this is through personalisation.
The Miller and Carter loyalty app is a great example of a food brand adopting digital technology, using it to boost their brand and improve the overall restaurant experience. The app allows the iconic steakhouse chain to stay connected with its customers, using flexible incentives and rewards to ensure they are at the forefront of their customers’ minds and encouraging them to enjoy a meal there. This builds personalised and unique content that's relevant to the customers restaurant experience.
Adopting brand communications across multiple channels doesn’t have to be complicated, but can provide alternative experiences which cultivate true brand loyalty.
Creating a positive restaurant dining experience can increase customer satisfaction, attract new customers and drive customer loyalty. At Eat Marketing, we can help advise, manage and execute positive food brand strategies that can make all the difference.
Image Sources: 1) www.pearlfisher.com 2) roomunlocked.com 3)www.millerandcarter.co.uk
What makes a food brand truly successful? Customers. But, what is the best way to engage them and deliver a successful customer experience that converts into repeated custom? By using marketing co-creation. Let's explore what co-creation means, and how you can use it to improve engagement with your customers.
Put simply, co-creation is a product or service design process, in which input from consumers plays a central role from beginning to end. As a food business, you’re already halfway there. What could be more tempting than food? By involving consumers to participate in what you produce, you’ll not only gain insight into what they want, you’ll give those consumers a sense of empowerment, as you encourage them to use their voice and utilise their input.
When using marketing co-creation, customer involvement is key. After all, if you know what customers want, they’ll buy what you have to offer. It’s no secret that around 80% of new products fail when they’re launched, but perhaps this could have been reduced had they carried out thorough market research. By understanding and addressing the specific needs of your customers, you’ll stand out above competitors.
Letting the consumers decide what they liked and what they didn’t, gave global brand, Coca Cola, the chance to create new products that were influenced by real consumers' thoughts and opinions, tackling head-on consumer challenges and building a loyal customer base they could rely on.
Coca Cola tapped into marketing co-creation to inspire product innovation. They understood that tastes around the globe differ, and wanted their products to appeal to a wider audience. The global beverages giant opted for a co-creation experiment with an innovative product strategy that focused specifically on reflecting the true tastes of Southeast Asia, an often underrepresented target audience. Renting a popular local café, the team came prepared with a “kit of things that they can play with” while real consumers tried the products and gave their feedback on what they liked and what they didn’t.
Bring transparent is a great way to build customer trust and strengthen your customer brand relationship.
Plant-based milk brand, Oatly, created a clever spin to the banality of FAQ pages with their ‘Infrequently Asked Questions’ campaign. This page was dedicated to clarifying questions that never crossed your mind in the first place. From questions such as ‘Does drinking oat milk change the sound of your voice?’ to ‘Do I need a permit to carry oat milk?’. These questions may seem strange, but they are a very clear and lighthearted way of being open and honest with customers about their products. From these types of questions, the consumer is made aware that oat milk has a positive effect on the environment and ourselves. Oatly also emphasise that their oat milk doesn’t require drinkers to switch habits and that their product is cruelty-free - but in a fun and unique way that allows their customers to openly understand what their brand stands for without it feeling too informative.
This twist on marketing co-creation gives consumers an insight into Oatly's key USPs, whilst also reflecting their fun and quirky brand personality. In turn, making more people consider trying the plant-based milk alternative, if they haven’t already.
It’s true that consumers have much more influence then ever before on a products’ success or failure on the market. This influence has only grown with the explosion of social media over the last decade. Social media allows customers and consumers to openly and honestly share their experience and opinions about your brand, whether that be your service or a particular product. Due to the visibility that social media allows, these comments and opinions are available for all to see and can have a positive or negative impact on the brand image and reputation.
Whilst some might shy away from this very cut-throat form of marketing co-creation, others are embracing it to add value to their brand as seen with world-renowned coffeehouse chain, Starbucks. They put their consumers at the heart of their brand by giving them most of the control over the brand voice and allowing them to both produce and consume the product at the same time. That’s why Starbucks prioritises the customer experience in their coffee shops all over the world, the content created by Starbucks is made by a community of consumers and popular shows such as Sex in the City showcase their cups which successfully promotes the brand.
Co-creation is a great way to build a strong community of consumers and encourage greater brand loyalty.
Fried chicken brand, KFC, opened their own pub in London to celebrate the World Cup. By giving fans a chance to come together, enjoy their food and the momentous sporting occasion, they created a strong community and loyal customer base that could bond over the special pop-up pub.
The marketing co-creation event went down a treat with tickets selling out on the first day of sale and customers sitting back with some finger lickin’ good chicken and a pint or two, surrounded by like-minded individuals.
As a food business, you can also use co-creation to get the right results. Everything from the process of creating new menus and recipes, to designing a new food brand, can be applied. Co-creation allows you to understand the benefits to customers, be transparent about the process and incorporate co-creation into your overall content strategy to inspire trust, interest and rewards for both your consumers and your food business.
Image Sources: 1) www.wsj.com 2) www.famouscampaigns.com
You may or may not already know that on the 1st July 2023 the current Google Universal Analytics will no longer process any new data and the new Google Analytics 4 property is going to take its place. The good news is that Google Analytics 4 is here to make tracking your website easier, but the bad news is that it won't carry across your current analytics data. We want to make sure your website is ready for the change by migrating across to the new Google Analytics 4 property. We’re here to help you understand the next steps you should take.
Universal Analytics is a web analytics service offered by Google that tracks and reports website traffic.
Google Analytics 4, also known as GA4, is a new and improved version of Universal Analytics. It’s been introduced to effectively collect and analyse data - using all the good parts of Universal Analytics and adding additional, advanced features that aim to improve the data collecting service.
The main difference between GA4 and Universal Analytics is that where Universal was built to collect a series of page views, GA4 has been built to analyse anything from page views to clicks, form submissions and even custom events that you can tailor to your conversional requirements.
GA4 can:
Why should I move to GA4?
Well to put it plainly GA4 is more powerful, more flexible and more accurate.
If you want to be able to analyse useful data from your site or app then you should move to GA4 - you’ll get the chance to access all the new features and capabilities, but you’ll also be able to take advantage of GA4’s continued learning and improvement.
Also if you don’t want to risk losing your data you should make the move as Google will be discontinuing Universal Analytics in July 2023, so you’ll have to upgrade anyway.
Think about it this way, if you move your tracking now it means you’ll have a year's worth of data in a new platform, rather than having to put up with a blackout period during your transition. It also gives you a chance to get used to the new system and see how you like it.
Migrating to GA4 will involve a lot of documentation and information, which can be quite overwhelming if you’re not a Google Analytics whizz. Which is why Eat Marketing is here to take the load off of you and help you do this.
Now!
If you want to save the ‘future you’ a lot of stress and headaches then implementing GA4 now is your best bet. Getting us to help you migrate to GA4 properly makes the move a lot easier for you. Once it’s properly set up we can help you set your own custom events and more.
If you don’t want to risk losing your data and need help with the migration process, contact Alison today to discuss the next steps on your GA4 migration: +44 (0)845 835 4661.
Have you ever wondered what makes something a legacy brand? A legacy brand is usually defined as one that’s really well-known, been around a long time and has visible signs of success. Over the years, we’ve been lucky enough to be involved with some fantastic food and drink companies, helping make their brand stand out above the rest and paving the way for legacy brand status. We’ve also taken the time to delve into other legacy brand food campaigns, gaining inspiration and seeing what works.
So take a look at our latest blog - looking at the key ingredients behind our top 4 legacy food campaigns, including two of our own - and be inspired!
Even if you’re not a fan of the Colonel and his secret chicken recipe, you’ll probably know that KFC is known for being ‘finger lickin’ good’, earning its status as a top legacy brand in the world of fast food. Yet, the recent pandemic almost put a halt to their world famous logo, although they did use it in a way, putting a humorous spin on it in their 2020 branding by blurring out the ‘finger lickin’ logo from its bucket of chicken and instead ending on the line: ‘That thing we always say? Ignore it. For now.’
KFC then began their legacy brand revival after the end of the first lockdown by announcing they were ‘back’, and in 2021, their ‘finger lickin’ good’ tagline was at the forefront of their ads once more.
The key ingredient that food business can take away from KFC’s brand legacy status is that reinforcing your brand’s strapline can drive brand salience, ensuring customers return, warm in the knowledge that they’re coming back to something they know and love.
You can also take a look at our blog on KFC, which offers a great insight into the marketing of KFC and how that creates such a strong brand legacy.
Simpsons Fish and Chips epitomises legacy branding that takes its offering one step further by showing off its quirky personality across a multitude of marketing channels, whilst still displaying its homage to the tradition of fish and chips. To do this, the brand needed expression, impact and a marketing approach that was different to other, more traditional fish and chip branding.
Starting with their ethos of ‘Long live fish and chips’ to reflect their solid commitment and grounding in producing great tasting food steeped in tradition, we then added a modern touch with the look and feel.
From the unique tattoo illustration style of mermaids and sailors to the strong typographic logo, crest symbol, and packaging, right through to the kids characters and out-of-the-box social posting – such as battered creme eggs or black batter for Halloween, we created a unique expression for Simpsons. That, along with their consistent style and tone of voice, reflects the personality of the business, resonating with the target market in Cheltenham, Stroud and across the UK.
The key ingredient that food business can take away from Simpsons’ brand legacy status is that having the confidence to display knock-out branding and shouting out about your years of experience, knowledge and expertise is great for brand trust.
You can also take a look at our blog on Simpsons, which offers a great insight into our approach when it came to marketing Simpsons, and how that created such a strong brand legacy.
Guinness is a hugely iconic brand that can truly lay claim to brand legacy. Their brilliant, post-Covid comeback ad: #LooksLikeGuiness features a series of black and white images set against a heartfelt rendition of the classic ballad Always On My Mind. The notion being that fans of the brand are missing the iconic black pint so much, they’re seeing them everywhere!
The way the ad ends plays to their brand legacy status too: a group of friends sharing pints of Guinness together with the iconic Guinness slogan saying: ‘good things come to those who wait’. But it doesn’t end there: Guinness’ £30M pledge to support UK hospitality and pub businesses also helped increase their brand legacy, showing them as leaders in the drinks industry.
The key ingredient that food business can take away from Guinness’ brand legacy status is that maintaining brand reputation through confidently reinforcing customer loyalty works.
It’s not just big, multinational businesses who can lay claim to brand legacy status, small, local, independent businesses can too!
Located in the heart of Lichfield, Larder is well known for offering a wonderfully relaxed fine dining experience to its customers. Post-pandemic, we helped them utilise their local brand legacy status by refreshing their brand and branching out by offering outdoor dining and takeaway orders; both of which proved to be a big success, allowing customers to experience their favourite food again.
Learn more about how we helped Larder redefine their marketing in our case study.
The key ingredient that food business can take away from Larder’s brand legacy status is that it’s crucial to adapt to the current external environment and benefit from building and sustaining engagement over the entire customer journey.
Image Sources: 1) https://pngimg.com/image/82056 2) https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/ipo/sapphire-foods-ipo-kfc-operator-sets-price-band-of-rs-1120-1180-a-share-7667461.html 3) https://www.meanwhileinireland.com/new-guinness-ad-has-made-us-so-excited-for-pubs-reopening/ 4) https://www.thedrum.com/news/2021/05/13/ad-the-day-guinness-welcomes-us-all-back-the-pub-finally 5) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinness
There’s been some great news for the UK restaurant industry as we step into spring with industry reports such as the new Lumina Intelligence UK Restaurant Market Report (2021/22) indicating that restaurant industry recovery is set at 94% of its 2019 value for 2022! This means that, when it comes to marketing, the restaurant market needs to look ahead, at the inevitable increase in demand from consumers, and how to create a competitive marketing strategy that reflects these demands.
In this blog, we delve a little deeper into what the Lumina report has reported, and that when it comes to marketing, restaurants need to look ahead to the inevitable demand from consumers with a competitive marketing approach.
There’s no doubt that the last two years, the pandemic has hit the restaurant industry hard, and for a time, it was difficult to see when and how businesses would recover, especially as last year’s Coronavirus restrictions (including no-dine in rules and outdoor only dining during April and May) had such an effect on recovery for the first six months of 2021 and indeed, the rest of that year, with outlets declining at a rate of -2.8%, with a net loss of 817 sites.
This recovery continued with the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, which allowed people to get back together again, and gave them the confidence to do so. This in turn has had a positive impact on restaurant footfall, and this higher demand will create a need for more creative marketing tactics that persuade customers to visit your restaurant over a competitors’ restaurant.
Thankfully, the decline shown in 2021 is behind us, and the report predicts positive figures for 2022 such as year-on-year growth of 59.4% and sales of £3bn for the top 10 branded restaurants by turnover. There’s more good news in that, rather than hearing about restaurants closing, leading brand restaurants are forecast to add a net 56 sites before the end of 2022, a 1.5% increase.
One of the most important findings from Lumina is that the UK restaurant market is forecast to see a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 1% from 2022F-25F, which means a market recovery of £18.3bn. This continued growth is forecast due to a number of factors, such as unrestricted trading in 2022 and consumer confidence in socialising outside the home (as Covid fears wane) increasing. The increase in sites, and therefore choice, also increases the need for competitive marketing. As a restaurant you’ll need to stand out from the crowd and really show off your USPs.
The pandemic didn't just have an effect on customer consumption in the restaurant industry, it has also had an effect on how we order our food and paved the way for restaurants to offer click and collect as well as delivery options. Despite the lifting of Covid restrictions this trend shows no signs of waning and consumers now expect restaurants to offer these options.
Ensuring your online food delivery systems run smoothly is also important as having this added option can really help a restaurant gain a larger market share alongside being a sure way of attracting more customers.
Such pandemic-led trends coupled with continued growth in the restaurant sector means that it is vital for businesses to adjust their marketing strategy to a changing customer landscape.
Talking to a marketing agency can help enhance and generate interest in your restaurant. At Eat Marketing we can help you get started by carrying out a marketing and brand audit to assess everything you are currently doing and where your business sits in the marketplace. The recommendations from this audit will help to shape a successful marketing strategy for your restaurant business.
If you're in the restaurant industry, we hope this latest report on restaurant growth in 2022 has added an extra layer of confidence when it comes to your own restaurant, and if you would like to meet this growth with some new marketing plans, get in touch, we’d love to help.