Business boosters: ice-cream for breakfast day and flirting workshops

Where:​ One Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London and Botanist, Sloane Square, London

Website: ​www.onecanadasquarerestaurant.com​

              www.thebotanistonsloanesquare.com​

Twitter: ​@OneCanadaSquare

            @The_BotanistSW1

The idea: ​A specially designed, one day only, ice-cream-filled brunch menu to celebrate Ice-cream for Breakfast Day on 7^th​ February.

How it works:​ The ice-cream offering was available at both sites, alongside regular brunch menus.

Marketing: ​The offering was promoted widely on social media, with relevant food bloggers specifically targeted with the campaign, as well as via online third party listing channels including View London and Time Out. Email marketing campaigns were also targeted at customer databases for both sites.

Be prepared:​ The two sites were chosen to host the event for their strong breakfast offerings and young, adventurous clientele. Dishes included pan-fried peanut butter and jam sandwich with maple-cured bacon ice-cream, hot smoked salmon hash with horseradish ice cream and ricotta cakes with blueberry ripple ice cream.

Pay-off:​ Celebrates an American tradition which is growing in popularity in the UK; drives awareness of the sites’ breakfast offerings; increased reservations for the breakfast sitting at both venues.

Key benefits: ​Identifying celebration days and weeks helps to tie in marketing and business activities that help to generate brand exposure and drive revenue; across both sites, average Saturday breakfast takings increased by 9%.

Advice​: Victoria Hassett, group marketing coordinator for parent company the ETM Group, says: “Ensure the product or offering is representative of your brand and meets the need of your core audience but don’t be afraid to be creative and think outside the box. Standing out in a crowded marketplace is key to getting exposure in the social and media sphere.”

Best outcome:​ Being a relatively young celebration in the UK market, the businesses were able to gain an extensive amount of exposure across social media and press, in the absence of competition from other operators.

Where:​ All Bar One, Oxford, Manchester and New Oxford Street, London

Website: ​www.allbarone.co.uk​

Twitter: ​@YourAllBarOne

The idea:​The workshops were run ahead of Valentine’s Day in collaboration with lesson and workshop curator, The Indytute, and flirtologist, Jean Smith.

How it works:​ For £12.50, customers could attend an hour’s tutorial, led by Smith, as well as enjoying a welcome glass of Prosecco and a masterclass on how to make one of three Flirtini cocktails, a Gin Berry Cobbler, Disaronno Sour or a Mojito, each representing one of Smith’s flirting tips.

Marketing:​ Free pocket guides to the art of flirting were placed in all bars for the first half of February. A press release, sent to national, local and online publications, was accompanied by an e-newsletter sent to the brand’s entire database. The campaign had its own URL on the All Bar One website with links to the Indytute, where tickets could be bought for any of the three workshops.

Be prepared:​ Sites in Manchester, Oxford and London, the three cities with the highest proportion of singles in the UK, were chosen to host the workshops. Rather than corny chat-up lines, Smith’s techniques focused on self-confidence and light-hearted ways to start conversations, helping singletons to spot Smith’s six signs of attraction.

Pay-off:​ Encourages people to try something new; perfect for single customers looking for tips; a partnership with a like-minded brand; taps into a trend outside the brand’s food and drink offer.

Key benefits: ​Created new interst among existing customers and those reading about the brand for the first time; promotion has driven footfall

Advice​: Angela McNeill, marketing manager for Mitchells & Butler’All Bar One brand says: Choose a campaign that will get press coverage and add value to your current offering