"Accelerating profitability for food businesses" Producers, Retailers, Caterers

How Broccoli has become interesting! This brilliantly, simple campaign is also being mimicked by others, making even more successful. [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nmlu-pPEdJ4[/youtube]

With millions of people connecting through social media, advertisers and marketers are hustling to get in on the action. In the past year we’ve seen many companies and brands attempt to step into this new world only to fail miserably. After analyzing many marketing flops on Twitter, the underlying issues are very apparent.

To be an effective marketer on Twitter you must first stop thinking like one.

Marketing on Twitter requires a bit of a shift in your mindset. Twitter is all about simple conversations; you can’t use press releases, marketing copy and other one-way communication tactics and expect results. Customers want interaction—with you and with each other. Tweeting is one-to-one, with the benefit of being in a public space where other customers may overhear your conversation and interact with each other on your behalf.

#1 Know the rules Get to know your neighbors It’s important to remind yourself of the fact that Twitter is a real life community and that every community has it’s own set of rules. Before you jump into the conversation, spend some time watching and learning. You’ll find that most people are very friendly and supportive, but it’s best to understand the ground rules first.

The easiest way to jump in is to ask for help. This may seem strange at first because brands are used to being on the other end of the spectrum, typically telling consumers what to do. Asking for advice might have you feel as if you are making your brand vulnerable, but the fact that we as a community are helping each other out, is what makes social media great.

#2 Connect person to person People don’t talk to brands, they talk to people It doesn’t matter how large your company is. On Twitter, people want to connect to a person. They are not interested in talking to your ‘brand’. Make your updates personable and human, not scrubbed and polished like news columns. It’s fine to be a little rough around the edges.

If you can, identify a real person to write the updates to give a face to your Tweets. For example, Comcast’s Twitter account (@comcastcares) is headed by Frank Eliason, Director of Digital Care. Frank even lists his direct email and personal website on his profile which not only gives a human face to the company, it helps build trust in the conversation.

By using Twitter, Comcast is offering an alternative, less corporate confined outlet for customers to receive support. Customers are able to ask questions and be communicated with on their own turf; no more having to wait in long lines, no need to press 4 for more options!

#3 Create a conversation Twitter is a two-way street Some companies might eye Twitter as another ‘channel’ to conquer. This kind of thinking is dangerous with interactive marketing. Social Media is not about building a channel; it’s about creating a conversation. Your job should be to get people talking by posing questions, asking for input and connecting people as a trusted third party.

Creating a conversation requires something that many marketers are not used to: actively listening to customers. This back and forth motion is what makes social media wonderful and helps build an emotional connection between your brand and consumers. Since consumers now have more choices and are able to jump from brand to brand in an instant, this relationship has become more crucial than ever.

#4 Promote a dedicated ambassador Make Social Media a part of your plan Social Media outlets like Twitter work best when they are frequently updated. You’ll find that the most prolific companies on Twitter have tens of thousands of updates. This may seem like a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be; these updates tend to be short, quick and off-the-cuff.

We find that it works best when our clients designate a single person internally to act as a social media liaison. Doing so will ensure that the updates occur more frequently and result in less clutter. This social media ambassador can then begin to build relationships with key customers and these customers are then able to act as brand ambassadors for you.

When designating ambassadors for your company, be sure to establish some “rules of engagement”. This will serve as a guideline on dealing with and deciding on conversations they should participate in and which ones should get escalated within your organization.

#5 Have something to offer Give people a reason to follow you People love to pass on information and if people are following your brand on Twitter, they are already showing a proclivity to your message. So why not reward them? Offer inside information, special offers or just one-to-one conversation with customers who follow you through Social Media.

Once you have been using Twitter for a while, you’ll notice key people that like to talk about your company (aka “Influencers”). These people are worth more than you can imagine! Encourage users by converting them into brand ambassadors: Invite them to your private product launches, let them contribute to new feature requests, ask them how you can improve. Not only will you gain firsthand, unfiltered information on how your products are used in the real world, you’ll also activate a network of ambassadors to give you the best thing you could ask for: positive word-of-mouth.

#6 Twitter and your website Integrate your messaging Twitter is a very flexible technology, which is what makes it so powerful. The fact that Twitter can be set up to automatically update your followers every time you post a blog entry or that any RSS feed can be re-broadcasted through your Twitter postings, are great examples of Twitter’s strengths. However, be careful not to abuse this, as too many automatically generated posts will make you lose that all-important human factor.

Another great option is the ability to add buttons, badges and widgets to sections of your other sites (articles, pages, etc.) so that visitors are able to “Tweet” it’s contents. Each article or page can be linked with a button that allows customers to send an update to their followers with a quick blurb and a link to your page. Again, people generally only Tweet interesting or compelling content and a list of products or features may not be very intriguing to them.

Find awesome add-ons here:

http://twitter.com/badges and http://sharethis.com/

#7 Tracking Conversations Listen and Learn By using the @reply feature, it’s easy to discover people talking about your brand. The Twitter search function also allows you to search by your company or product name. Use these tools to discover the things being said about you in real-time. Stay on top of what’s being said about you by frequently checking your @replies; you might be surprised by what you find.

More advanced tools also exist that allow you to graph conversation activity over time, as well as monitor positive and negative sentiment amongst users. Using these tools help to provide you with a more in-depth understanding about what people are saying; which in turn will help you develop more relevant conversations. Companies like Trendrr, Infegy, ScoutLabs & Radian6 offer more robust monitoring tools.

BBC1 Rip-Off Britain programme has started a wave of attention to try to fix the problem of misleading food labelling. This programme touches on this important subject and sets the scene to really open the debate about how we labelling our food in the future. Following the programme, and amazed by the public and industry support, Rob created www.honestlabelling.com you can watch the BBC programme at their home page. This site is an exclusive way for the whole food industry and shoppers to together to voice support for their favourite food and expose the food labelling Sinners. This site has had world wide attention, food labelling is a growing problem around the globe. It's not just about country of origin, it's about any label that is not true, or misleading. Check it out, feel free to comment anonymously. We look forward to hearing from you, Rob Rob Ward | Founder: Food Marketing Network.com & Honest Labelling.com P.S - Join the debate, discover and meet 100's of foodies and business professionals. If you want to learn and share on issues and ideas about Food Businesses and Marketing on our  LinkedIn Group: Food Marketing Network on LinkedIN Quick link HERE >>> http://tiny.cc/u6CaT

This post is about one of the great myths of British cuisine. Once derided around around the world, British food is now a haven for 'thinking' food. Food that has been created with love and skill. This what they used to say: "Somerset Maugham once wrote that "to eat well in England, you should have breakfast three times a day." Often you need to loose something to appreciate what you have - in Britain, we are more famous for cynicism than enthusiasm, we are surprisingly good at Great food and it's mainly because we don't know what's happening elsewhere in the world. This why it is a mystery to me as to why there is not more British Food exported outside of the UK? SOLUTION: This is a call to arms, UK food producers, book yourself to go to the next Fancy Food Show in USA, as a visitor, and find out what you are up against. I can assure you, you will be pleasantly surprised: I'll be there, scouting out their latest ideas - hey it's January when the shows on, could be worse, could be in the middle of an English winter! http://www.specialtyfood.com/do/fancyFoodShow/LocationsAndDates Want more evidence read this... Below is a post by James Mellgren, new converted lover of Great British Food: "While I am altogether in agreement about the quality of English breakfasts, I must respectfully disagree with the general sentiment; but then my experience is several decades removed from that of Maugham's. Although it is still entirely possible to get bad food in any number of places in the British Isles, the United Kingdom today is also home to many great markets and food stores, an exciting array of food products, not the least of which is their stellar collection of world-class cheeses and other dairy products, and some of the most inventive and delicious food in all the world. Just back from a three-week holiday in Britain, I'm still reeling from all the great food I ate (some of which admittedly we cooked ourselves, but from great ingredients bought at inspired marketplaces), and although I still hold an English breakfast in the highest regard, I am counting the months until I can return for lunch and dinner, too. The United Kingdom (comprised of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and the United States have been closely aligned since the founding of the original 13 colonies, and except for that little skirmish around 1776 that resulted in our independence, we have been friends and allies for nearly two-and-a-half centuries. In more recent decades, the re-emergence in the United Kingdom of a thriving artisanal food scene has closely paralleled our own, while classic English foods also continues to be made according to the same traditional methods as they have been for, in some cases, centuries. One need only visit the British stands at the Fancy Food Show and other trade fairs to see how passionate the English are about their traditional foodways, but a recent trip to the United Kingdom made this even clearer to me as I tasted and feasted my way through London and the English countryside. Britain at Retail Nowhere is Britain's culinary rebirth more in evidence than at the fabulous Borough Market, London's oldest food market, located on the south bank of the Thames behind the Southwark cathedral. Although it has been at the current site for over 250 years (since 1756), the market itself has been in operation since Roman times. In the beginning, it was little more than vendors plying their wares on the original London Bridge, at the time the only span across the Thames and, therefore, virtually the only connection between southern England and London. It still functions as a wholesale market at night from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m., but on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, it is open to the public, a tradition that extends back to the time of Edward III. Although covered, it is extremely open and airy with the roof supported by huge green iron trellises. The market is a combination of fresh foods -- including meats, fish, produce, spices and tea -- and prepared foods like bread, cakes, pastries, juices, Spanish tapas, and hot and cold foods to take away. Just outside the market proper are several complementary businesses, including a few pubs and restaurants, Vinopolis Wine Wharf (a huge, well-stocked wine shop), Monmouth Coffee Company (who source and roast all their excellent coffees), and the second location of the great Neal's Yard Dairy. We tried to start each day at Borough Market, a short walk across London Bridge from our hotel. Navigating through the groups of uniformed school children who were often touring the always-bustling market, we would get our bacon-wrapped prunes, followed by sausages wrapped in puff pastry, and washed down by steaming mugs of black tea at Maria's Café where we jostled with the teenage school boys who were ordering their bacon/cheese buns and chips. The feeling in the market is electric, comparable to some of our own old city markets like Baltimore's Lexington Market and Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia. The market was formally registered as a charity in 1999, and its charitable contributions are managed by a board of trustees. If you find yourself in London, it should not be missed, and in fact, it's worth the trip by itself. You can find out more at www.boroughmarket.org.uk. Two years ago when I last wrote about shops in London, I had visited Fortnum & Mason (F&M), one of the city's oldest food emporiums, and reported that the middle of the store was walled off due to construction of a new "fresh market," as the sign said. I was anxious to see what they had been up to, and I wasn't disappointed. What I thought was going to be a small prepared foods department turned out to be a broad central staircase that led down to a whole new floor that is home to a butcher, a charcuterie counter, cheese, deli and produce departments, as well as its large selection of jarred sauces and condiments. In the charcuterie, it even had a fine array of dried meats -- jerky essentially -- including venison, ostrich, and ostrich spiced with beri beri. A world away from the working-class simplicity of Borough Market, Fortnum & Mason is the epitome of elegance and opulence, with the focus clearly on traditional English foodstuff, from sumptuous puddings, hams, roast beef and Cumberland sauce to its huge selection of teas, biscuits, coffee, and sweets that occupy the main floor. F&M also houses a fine wine cellar, complete with a wine bar in which one can sip Champagne after the rigors of shopping, a tea salon and a restaurant, and a lovely housewares department featuring tabletop items, stationery, linens, cooking gadgets and a very thoughtful cookbook assortment that highlighted several well-known English authors such as Elizabeth David and Jane Grigson, and contemporary stars like Jamie Oliver and Nigella Lawson. The place was extremely busy, looking more like late December than mid-October, and encumbered as I was with my own purchases, it was indeed a rigorous shopping experience, albeit a delightful one. If Borough Market is the working-class, no-nonsense food destination and F&M is the height of elegance, then Harrods Food Hall is a culinary wonderland. Encompassing several large rooms, all ornately decorated from floor to ceiling with intricate tile mosaics of game and fish, and with every conceivable kind of food from around Britain and the rest of the world, Harrods is a food lover's dream come true. Founded by tea merchant Henry Charles Harrod in 1849, Harrods has grown to be a London landmark and is usually included in any travel guide as a must-see. One room is dedicated to seafood, with a large central counter featuring its assortment of smoked fish and caviar, while the perimeter has the fresh fish counter, an oyster bar (where my wife and I shared a couple of dozen oysters, an English version of shrimp cocktail and a bottle of Sancerre to bolster us after a long walk to get there) and a sushi bar. Another room has meat -- fresh meat, sausages, cured meats, dried meats and bacon, the last consisting of at least two dozen varieties. The room with cheese and packaged goods had a cheese counter about 40 feet long with a brilliant display of cheeses from the British Isles as well as from around Europe. The "sweet room" had, in addition to an amazing selection of candies, cookies, puddings, chocolates (including a counter by the wonderful Parisian master chocolate-maker Maison du Chocolat) and assorted other vehicles of sugar, a brightly colored, horseshoe-shaped counter where one could order up an untold number of ice cream sundaes, soda fountain treats, and other childhood delights. Of course, Harrods is also a department store, and the rest of the main floor and the upper floors are full of marvelous things (including a fabulous gaming department); but for everyone who loves food and likes to eat, the Food Halls are the thing. Everyone should see them at least once in their lives. Lest you think that the aforementioned markets are the only place in London to buy food, I hasten to point out that, like in Paris, there are wonderful food shops tucked away in just about every neighborhood, ranging from simple greengrocers to innovative specialty shops, tea salons, coffeehouses, bakeries, fishmongers, butchers and much, much more; some very unassuming and traditional, others very chic and trendy, but most of them interesting, and they make one desirous of having an apartment rather than a hotel room. I was also struck by the commitment to sustainable and local foods. Sainsbury, for example, had a series of signs in its windows at various locations we passed that had to do with that idea. One said in bold letters, "We're off the junk." It went on underneath to explain that Sainsbury now eschews the use of hydrogenated fats, artificial coloring and other undesirable ingredients in its house-made foods. Another sign in the series said that all its chickens are free-range raised in Britain so they can support British agriculture. Another talked about the high quality of the meats. We found this to be a trend throughout the London retail scene as well as in many of the restaurants. At the aforementioned Monmouth Coffee Company at Borough Market, I picked up its newsletter one morning. In it, as I read over a delicious cup of coffee, toast and jam, I learned all about its mission, its history, how it roasts its coffees, and mostly about the various coffee farms throughout the world from which it procures the beans for its operation, all at fair trade prices. Mirroring the trend here in the States, many restaurants and pubs specified on their menus where their meat and produce came from. Rules, London's oldest restaurant (established in 1798), actually owns an estate in Scotland from which it gets its extraordinary game. This is what its brochure says: "Set in England's last true wilderness, Lartington Hall Park … lies at the heart of the High Pennines near Barnard Castle in Teesdale. The idyllic countryside provides the perfect environment for the natural husbandry of wild game. Partridges, pheasants, wild duck, snipe, teal and roe deer are found in the woods and valleys. The River Tees, which flows through the estate, is home to both wild trout and salmon. Through its ownership of Lartington, Rules is able to source the highest quality game." It goes on to explain the healthfulness of eating game as opposed to domestic livestock. Having spanned nine monarchs and been owned by only three families, Rules is a bastion of traditional English cuisine at its best and highest quality, and its walls are covered with artifacts that reflect the history of the empire. All of this would be reason enough to dine at Rules, I suppose but, I confess, on my list it ranks second due to the fact that it makes the best sticky toffee pudding in all of England. The Rise of the Modern Shop London, of course, is a shopper's Mecca, from Carnaby Street to Savile Row, from great department stores to the most charming boutiques imaginable. But I never realized the seminal role London played in the development of the modern concept of the shop until I stumbled upon a book called "England in Transition" by Dorothy George (Pelican, 1931). In it, she describes the rise of the "gaily decorated shop with glass windows in which pretty trifles were displayed … shops of an earlier date had been either warehouses piled up with the staple English manufactures -- the cloth and kersies, for instance, of the drapers -- or little more than stalls. The milliners and pamphlet sellers in particular kept stalls in Westminster Hall. The goldsmiths alone of the more dignified trades appear to have laid out goods for display, and even then only their less valuable goods. The increase of shops selling newfangled luxuries appeared to [novelist and chronicler Daniel Defoe] signs of degeneracy and impending ruin." This was apparently not the norm throughout the rest of Europe and Dr. George points out that despite the widespread poverty that remained in England in the 18th century, they were in many ways far better off than the people on the continent. "The foreign visitor," she writes, "was almost invariably impressed with the well-being of the English farmer and labourer. In comparison with the Continent, standards of life were higher, work was less arduous, cottages and farm-houses were far cleaner and neater, women worked less hard, and farmers and working people were better dressed. Foreigners looked with pleased surprise at the gardens of farm-houses and cottages." Amused by this account, and suspecting a bit of skewed perspective, I was interested that even a visiting Frenchman in the 1740s was impressed when he wrote that "farmers' wives and daughters … not only dress but adorn themselves … A young country girl in other countries is a mere peasant, but here by the neatness of her dress and the genteelness of her person you would take her for a shepardess in one of our romances." I'm pleased to say that the charming nature and genteel carriage of English girls has not waned since that time. And finally, Dr. George reports that a Swedish visitor in 1748 remarked on the easy-going life surrounding the village inn, or what today would be called the pub. "It's not unusual," he said, "to see many sit the whole day at the inn. But the custom of the country that friends and neighbors come together, sit and converse, the abundance of money in this country, the ease of which a man could in every case have his food if only he was somewhat industrious seem to have conduced to this result …" Suffice to say that in terms of sustainability, artisanally produced foods, free-range, grass-fed livestock and the return to traditional methods of production, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera, the United Kingdom has certainly been at the forefront and continues to do so. Encouraged in no small part by the Prince of Wales himself, who on his royal Duchy estate has practiced what he preaches, humanely raising livestock and growing organic grains, fruits and vegetables resulting in many fine products that are available here in the United States. As I said before, the English classics are very much alive and well, from Cornish pasties and Yorkshire pudding to fish and chips and the beloved roast beef. There is a whole new generation of cooks throughout England who are dedicated to creating delicious food based on traditional recipes as well as using an international array of spices and other ingredients. In general, I found the quality of food in England, both in London and in the countryside, to be fresh, well-prepared and of the highest quality. I like to think that even Voltaire and Somerset Maugham would be pleasantly surprised.

I recently received an email from the Two Neil's, UK Infomational Marketing Experts (copied below). It's a great and simple story how to sell, everyone should read it: Rob Ward www.foodmarketingnetwork.com Please read and pass it on: Neil Stafford & Neil Travers "Neil Stafford here from the Internet Marketing Review. Last month Karen and I were in Barbados on holiday and this time we went with a couple of friends and their two children. Whilst in the Caribbean my friend and I decided to go scuba diving. I'm a fully qualified diver (BSAC) and my friend had recently completed his open water training (PADI) and we didn't need too much of a reason to go diving in the Caribbean! I've dived in Barbados before however the firm I usually use was closed for a few weeks so I had to find another company to take us. Whilst in Bridgetown (the capital) I found a dive school down near the harbour area and as luck would have it they were in and due to only leave on the next dive in an hour or so. The owner (Andy) took time out to explain to me how his dive school and expeditions worked. He explained that he ran an eco-dive business with emphasis on the environment and preserving the areas he dives in. He asked me about our diving experience and where we had dived before and what we enjoyed about diving. He then explained that he would love to take us out (of course he would we're paying clients!:-) however he had to explain his rules. He then stressed that if we do dive with him then under no circumstances must we: - Take anything from the wrecks we dive on - Chase the marine life, especially the turtles - Remove anything from the reef or damage the reef either deliberately or by thoughtlessness in our diving. If he saw us doing any of these things we would taken to the surface, placed on the boat and our dive would be over with no refund. ** The Classic Take Away Sale Andy then said that he had no places spare today or the following two days but he did have two openings that day after that. He also explained that he had already had several enquiries which would lead to those places being taken up very soon. (Brilliant sales tactic!) He also explained that he doesn't advertise in any of the hotels or holiday tours as all of his dive clients come from repeat business, word of mouth and his website. He finished by saying that he'd love to take us out, but to let him know quickly by calling and leaving a message on his phone. He passed me his card with his number on it. (Note, he didn't ask me to make my mind up there and then.) At this point he thanked us and wished is a great holiday. Needless to say my friend and I booked the dive and had a superb time diving on several wrecks and a second dive on a breath-taking reef....I'll tell you about the dive itself another time. ** Controlling The Sale Right through talking with me Andy controlled the conversation and at no point did he appear desperate for the sale. He used the 'take away' at the perfect time to make me want to book as soon as possible. Take a look at your own sales process...on your website and in your email follow ups to see if you can use take away selling to encourage people to buy from you. And if you're ever in Barbados and want a great dive experience I recommend you book a trip with Andy. Here's his website: www.ecodivebarbados.com Best wishes Neil PS We've had a lot of questions recently about using Public Domain material in your business so Neil and I are putting together some free training videos for you soon. Watch this space." www.internetmarketingreview.com

TESCO's idea is either genius or suicide! But first, I have a suggestion how to communicate this marketing idea: 'A FREE one for Ron, later on.' (Good opportunity to create a character called Ron, who says, 'for me?' answer: 'yes, but later on.' Well, I like it anyway! Retailing is supposed to be fun). Back to the issue of whether this is a good idea, or not? This is an article from Marketing Week, written by Rosie Baker: The retailing logic has always been to do a Buy-one-get-one-free (BOGOF) was to generate an increase in average spend. Providing the margin survives reasonably intact, this is a great way to maintain volume, or is it? With my retail head on, I would only ever do a BOGOF if my margin as good as normal. Increasing consumption at the cost of margin it not a good idea. Greed only has a small element to pay here. For any long life products this is particularly relevant. For short life products, TESCO's stance is that this delayed consumption will reduce food waste - a big issue now with consumers - this is only good if there is increased loyalty attached to this delayed purchase. Buy-one-get-one-free deals appear to be in a Catch 22 situation, and the issue is back on the agenda this week, thanks to Tesco’s latest announcement. Sir Terry Leahy, Tesco chief executive, revealed plans to allow customers to take advantage of BOGOF deals by picking up the second product at a later date, if they don’t need it right away. The initiative comes as another layer in Leahy’s sustainability plans to help Tesco and its customers reduce waste and carbon emissions. Tesco plans to issue customers a coupon at the till if they have not redeemed both items, and the opportunity to claim it at another time. It addresses much-voiced concerns that these kinds of promotions encourage customers to buy too much and lead to wastage, and for many is the common sense solution to the problems surrounding BOGOF deals. While it’s true everyone likes getting something for nothing and few are likely to leave behind the second product if it’s free, buy-one-get-one-free deals are problematic for a number of reasons. One or two person households may not be able to consumer the products before they perish, which can lead to waste, and while deals on non-perishables such as laundry detergent are all well and good to help you stock up, it can be logistically difficult to carry it home from the shop and store it at home. It’s easy to lay the blame for food wastage at the feet of the large multiples and their tempting offers, but at some point, consumers must take responsibility for their own purchases and food wastage. On the surface Leahy’s delayed approach to BOGOF deals is a beneficial idea that will be welcomed by customers, but in reality, I wonder how many people will simply never get round to claiming their second item. Vouchers get lost, people forget, in which case, these consumers will actually lose out on price promotions, while Tesco gets the kudos of offering lots of great deals many customers don’t benefit from. It must also pose a potential problem for Tesco in terms of stock. When a product is on promotion, stores are able to quantify how much of that product will need to be in store throughout the promotional period. With delayed redemption, Tesco could run into all sorts of trouble keeping enough of the promotional products in stock at the right time, and warehousing high stock levels if the majority of consumers only claim one item at a time. So, while Tesco appears to be offering a solution to contentious buy-one-get-one-free deals, by offering to delay the multi-buy, is it scamming customers out of promotional deals many will never redeem? A better deal for consumers would see Tesco halving the price, instead of offering something additional for free, but then that would eat into Tesco’s profits. more: www.marketingweek.co.uk

When it comes to walking round large retail spaces, I have to admit I don't really like mixing with the masses, sorry if that sound pretensions, that's definitely not my intention - it's just that I know how retailer is try to influence me and it's usually all too predictable. Going to IQEA, which I admit it has been a number of years since I last went, has reminded me of a few basic business truths. Great retail formulas work forever. The way they draw the visitor around their store 'on a journey, room by room' is genius. It is similar to the legendary Stew Leonard food stores in Connecticut, USA (all retailers should go there if they are really serious about their business). But, despite the brilliance of their store design, their restaurant really hit home to me. They make a virtue out of compromising their offer by demonstrating their determination not to waste 'our' money. Wow, less is more? Yes in this case - simply designed, their logical layout for their restaurant disguises the financial triumph this business is. Keep it clean, efficient and good value. £18 ($30) for a family of 5 for lunch! The food is nutritionally balanced, healthy drinks are available and it was really easy to understand. And mercifully quick to do. Lesson in lunch - you bet! Focus on what I really want as a customer and I am yours. PS - even taking my tray to the tray stack don't feel a chore, I've got to try this at home on my children. Some hope! Rob Ward

Welcome to a new and permanent form of consumerisum. At the end of 2007 things changed. The was a significant shift towards price. Through 2008 this 'price driven' consumerism accelerated. Why? The economic uncertainty continued - without any signs of improving, which fed this buying behaviour. During early Spring 2009, there seemed to a modest stabilising in the economy. 'Value for money' started to become more important than 'price'. Value for money includes the experience as well as the price. Marketeers start to breath a sigh of relief when they hear this, it means they can put a price on this experience. Value for money is back (thank the Lord!) but don't think that's it... Summer 2009 with mark a paradigm change (that I believe will be permanent) in consumerism that is a combination of value for money when buying and a fit with our personal life values. Values with value. These values now sit with a new 'we can't have it all' culture which are about are acceptance of our personal situation or place in life. Know as personal drivers. And a holistic view, 'better for the world around us' which are community drivers. Marketeers, in the future, that don't get this - will be very lonely indeed. 2010 will commercially be extremely harder to trade in the 2009. The true reality of the financial excesses will hit home this Fall/Autumn. Watch out for another financial squeeze from around late September. Products that don't have values central to their business may not see 2011.

Something is happening to what we perceive as a Brand. Our constant desire to up-grade and get better is starting to look a little bit silly. Just a thought, but there seems to be one hell of a lot of well known brands that are in real trouble. Be it Aston Martin's or Harley Davidson's - there are dozens of 'great' brands that are dieing. And yet my 13 yr old daughter just received delivery of a pair of UGG boots, which I was assured that they are well worth their money (for avoiding pester power at least). I adore my iphone and religiously follow how the latest news on how it is going to improve and get even better, try to take it off me and fear the consequences. So is the Brand dead? In truth, it's a mixed bag of winners and looses - as it has always been, now we all just seem to be a lot more canny as to what we really are prepared to follow and pay more for. Here's an article exploring this subject further: Happiness not Luxury Analysts and pundits constantly make the mistake of assuming “luxury consumption” “trading up” or “trading down” are consumer behaviors. In the United States, from the consumer perspective, luxury consumption is against the (cultural) law. Luxury consumption and trading up (or down) never happen from the consumer’s perspective. In other words, nobody willingly engages in luxury consumption or trading up. Those are terms crafted by analysts who purport to explain why consumers do the strange things they do. What consumers do engage in is all matter of crazy rationalizations and justifications for their unnecessary (and what analysts would term luxury) purchases. Thus millions of us convinced ourselves that we might someday need the power of massive Range Rovers or SUV’s to navigate our daily commute to work—or that we need to spend $100 on children’s shoes. In all of this, we surely convinced ourselves of the product’s utility. We also mumbled something vague about safety or quality. Likewise, we may have thought to ourselves that we were rewarding ourselves, or treating ourselves, but most importantly we were not spending luxuriously. Outside of a very small subset of fashion conscious folk, conspicuous consumption has never been practiced. Is the Brand dead, or does the Brand live on - just reincarnated even more rapidly than before? Rob Ward www.foodmarketingnetwork.com