Where: Plough, Harborne, Birmingham
Website: www.theploughharborne.co.uk
Twitter: @PloughHarborne
The idea: Different bangers and mash specials were offered throughout British Sausage Week.
How it works: The pub used a creamed mashed potato, with red onion gravy, offering a different sausage each day. These included venison and red wine, pork and chilli and wild boar.
Marketing: The pub used a tongue-in cheek image, to appeal to its demographic, on e-flyers and posters around the pub. The promotion was also given coverage on the pub’s social media sites.
Pay-off: Sits well with the pub’s current menu; promotes a customer-favourite.
Key benefits: Offers something fresh to regular customers
Advice: Lee Coliandris, recruitment, events and marketing manager at the pub, says: "Not every food week will work for your customer base, so choose wisely, then promote it to death."
Best outcome: The pub’s sausage menu sold out on five of the seven days it was offered.
Music and beer-pairing with Pete Brown
The Craft Brewing Co, Brighton, East Sussex
Twitter: @thecraftbeercoBN1; @PeteBrownBeer
The idea: To utilise and promote the new first-floor function room at the Craft Beer Co’s Enterprise Inns lease in Brighton, the company chose leading beer writer Pete Brown’s unusual beer-pairing event, "Why do guitars taste of hops?" to engage existing and potential fans of the pub and its craft beer offer.
How it works: Tickets (£15) were available over the bar and through Eventbrite online ticket sales website. The event, featuring six beers and hosted by Pete Brown, set out to prove that some beer tastes better with certain types of music, including encouraging customers to hear the difference between bitter and sour beers.
Marketing: Via pub and Pete Brown’s websites, social media and poster campaign.
Be prepared: Hiring a microphone, amplifier and projector screen cost £40.
Pay-off: Feedback from the 30 existing and new customers enjoying this innovative event was fantastic.
Key benefits: New customers and local craft brewers enjoyed drinking and eating at the pub and experiencing a high quality event in its new function room. Interest in future events rose and a Christmas party booking was received. Pete Brown benefited from wider awareness of his profile.
Advice: Hiring a compelling speaker and concept sets the tone for future events.
Best outcome: New event bookings and rise in awareness.