📌 Hospitality Highlights: 15th July 2024
Welcome to this week’s newsletter. I’m Dawn Gribble, your host. I'm on a mission to bring you the latest actionable insights for the hospitality industry to help you Delight Guests and Drive Growth.
In this edition, discover how non-intrusive in-game advertisements appear in gaming, explore Blaze Pizza’s remarkable transformation, and get the latest scoop on Instagram's top tips for Reels creators. Plus, learn about the latest trends in food tourism emerging in Dubai and the surge in Gen Z's love for hot sauce.
These are just a few highlights from our packed newsletter, designed to keep you informed and inspired.
☕ Let’s Check In!
🔒 VIP Member Resources
Report: Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
🚀 Marketing News
📳 X Haptic Design Enhancements, Featuring Post and Video Controls (XD)
📹 Instagram's Top Tips for Reel Creators (LH)
🛡️ WhatsApp Introduces Enhanced Safety Features for Group Chats (WA)
🎵 Spotify Transforms into a Social Network, Not Just a Streaming App (TC)
📎 YouTube Experiments with "Add Yours" Sticker for Shorts (SMT)
🛍️ TikTok Launches Program to Attract More UK Merchants (TT)
🎮 Non-Intrusive In-Game Advertisements Revolutionise Gaming (TH)
🧹 YouTube Makes Enhancements to the Erase Song Feature (YT)
🗂️ Instagram Enables Retrospective Tags for Collaborative Posts (LG)
🚀 LinkedIn Expands ‘Accelerate’ Campaigns to All Brands (LI)
🎨 YouTube Adds Creative Options for Shorts (YT)
🛒 Google Search Console Now Includes Shipping & Return Policy Settings (SEL)
💬 WhatsApp Business Messaging Rates to Reduce Marketing Spam (TC)
🍽️ Restaurant Marketing News
🍽️ Gourmet Tasting Menus Now Available Through Delivery Services (TH)
🤪 Kyle MacLachlan Gets Quirky for Arby's Potato Cakes (MU)
🛏️ Snuggle Up with a Shake Shack French Fry Body Pillow (FB)
🎸 Beastie Boys Sue Chili's Parent Over 'Sabotage' Ad Use (RBO)
🍔 McDonald’s Sees Traffic Boost from $5 Meal Deal (NR)
🔥 Behind Blaze Pizza’s Remarkable Transformation (NA)
🛎️ Hotel Marketing News
🏢 Marriott Introduces Travel Management Program for SMEs (4H)
🌟 Hilton Expands with New Dual-Flag Hotel (HM)
🔑 First MICHELIN Key Hotels Awarded in Japan (MG)
💼 citizenM Redefines Hybrid Work with New Co-Working Launch (HN)
🎶 W Hotels Enhances Live Music with Expanded ‘W Presents’ Series (CP)
🧁 Food & Beverage Trends
🍟 World's First French Fry House Hosts Festive Events (PR)
🌿 THC-Infused Honeys Enter the Market (TH)
🍹 Summer-Themed Packaging Inspires Personality-Based Drinks (PS)
☕ Doritos Unveils Coffee-Flavoured Corn Chips (TA)
🎣 Don’t Drink and Fish Campaign Launches (YT)
🥤 Branded Chocolate Milkshakes on the Rise (TH)
🌍 Luxury Food Trend: Brands Can Benefit Greatly (FN)
🐮 Oatly Crashes Dairy Lobbying Event to Highlight Climate Impact (TD)
🌶️ Gen Z Drives Hot Sauce Boom (FD)
🍦 McDonald's Introduces New McFlurry Flavour (QSR)
⚡ Monster Launches Reign Storm ‘Clean Energy’ Drink (GT)
🌴 Travel Trends
🚫 Ads for Luton Airport Expansion Banned Over 'Greenwashing' (CL)
💦 Barcelona Protesters Use Water Pistols Against Tourists (CNN)
🛳️ Hays Travel Invests in the World's First Cruise Booking App (TR)
🍽️ Food Tourism Emerges as Dubai's Next Big Sector (SK)
📈 Heathrow Airport Sees Record Passenger Traffic in June (MD)
🇯🇵 Japan's Travel & Tourism Sector Set to Surpass Previous Records in 2024 (HN)
👀 Hospitality Industry Insights
🏆 Budweiser Tops YouGov Australia’s 2024 ‘Recommend’ Rankings (CB)
⚽ Increased Spending in On-Trade During Euros (TDB)
📊 Indian Food Services Industry Expected to Surpass Rs 7 Crores in FY28 (SL)
📈 Hospitality Market Update (HN)
🌍 UK Influencer Marketing Trade Body Forms European Alliance (PW)
🍿 Consumers Cutting Back, But Not on Snacks (RBO)
🌟 Luxury Hotels Offer Five-Star Freebies to Justify High Prices (TT)
⭐ Dawn’s Picks of the Week
💄 From 'Latte Makeup' to 'Girl Dinners': TikTok's Trend Impact (AP)
🔊 Home Speakers Upgraded with Lightning Effects for Comfort (TH)
🏙️ Inside Brutø: A Denver Restaurant Dedicated to Brutalism (FC)
🔍 How Airbnb Fails to Protect Guests from Hidden Cameras (CNN)
👛 Handling Sticky Fingers: What To Do When Guests Take Items (MRM)
🎓 College Credit for Work: Walmart and McDonald’s Innovate (NPR)
🥤 How Dr Pepper Surpassed Pepsi to Become No. 2 Soft Drink (AW)
🍽️ Chain Restaurant CEOs Urged to Focus on Share of Stomach (GR)
✨ Use The SODOTO Method To Learn Anything - Eclat Weekly
❤️ The Wonders of Hospitality: Designer Dining Experiences - Kiran Robinson
🍔 Exploring Junk Food Advertising Tactics (AN)
❓ Ask Dawn Gribble
Each week I answer your marketing questions.
Hi Dawn,
I’ve heard about creating Buyer Personas; what are they, and how do they inform marketing campaigns?
Thank you,
Buyer personas represent an “ideal customer” who represents a segment. For example, you might have Zoe, a Mum of young children, Abed the Student or Ben and Julia, an engaged couple. These personas help marketers create content that really speaks to that customer group - they play an essential role in personalisation.
To create a buyer persona, give the persona a name and demographic details, such as age, gender, and location. Then, identify the persona's interests and behavioural traits, such as hobbies, values, and pain points. Finally, compile data from social media analytics and customer databases to gain insights into the persona's behaviour and preferences. Buyer personas should be updated regularly with the results of newly identified trends, purchase patterns, and marketing experiment outcomes.
Restaurant Buyer Persona - Dubai Foodie
For example, let's create a buyer persona for a foodie named Noor, who loves restaurants in Dubai.
Noor is a 35-year-old marketing manager who lives in Dubai. She enjoys trying new restaurants and cuisines, especially those with healthy and organic options. Noor is also environmentally conscious and values sustainable practices. She orders in on weeknights and eats out at different restaurants each weekend; she goes to brunch once or twice a month with friends. Noor's pain points include long wait times and poor service. Her goals include discovering new restaurants and sharing her experiences with her friends on social media.
To engage Noor on Instagram, restaurants should post content that showcases the unique and healthy dishes available, the ambience, the vibe when the sun sets and shots of beautiful decor. To encourage Noor to share her experiences with her friends on social media, the restaurant sets up areas for Instagrammable moments with plenty of lighting and, where possible, stunning views.
Top Tip: Make your Wifi password a branded hashtag to encourage its use on social media - and don’t forget to ask guests to tag you!