Marketing Hit - Montage's Afternoon Tea

I fancy myself an afternoon tea connoisseur of sorts, so when I heard about Montage Beverly Hills' afternoon tea, I had to check it out. I decided to go for Mother's Day and thank goodness they had added an extra seating, otherwise we may not have gotten a table.

When we arrived, we were escorted to a lovely table by the window in the lobby lounge overlooking a small park with Bouchon's outdoor patio on the other side. Our table was magnificently set with fine china, designed by a local artist (they also sell the same set in the hotel gift shop). In addition, we had the expected accouterments for our scones, including devonshire cream, lemon curd and jam.

In reviewing the menu, there were several teas to choose from, and this is where I think the Montage separates itself from other tea houses (and becomes a marketing hit). This is because the Montage not only offers a traditional afternoon tea, and of course a notch above with their royale tea featuring kir royale, but a men's tea and a children's tea. The men's tea features scotch (yes scotch) along with sliders and onion rings. The children's tea features peanut butter and jelly, along with grilled cheese sandwiches. This variety in the Montage's "tea" offering ensures that everyone in your party is happy and satisfied with their own unique "tea" experience. I know that I'm thinking about going back to experience first-hand the "men's" tea, or maybe I can convince my husband to come along and share his. Montage Bevery Hills' afternoon tea is served daily from 2:30-5 p.m., http://www.montagebeverlyhills.com/

Marketing Hit - Julienne

I'm apprehensive to share this restaurant, since it will be that much more difficult to get a table, however this is a true gem! Depending on where you're traveling from, it may be somewhat difficult to get to, but the hunt is well worth it. The restaurant is Julienne and is located in the upscale neighborhood of San Marino (near the Huntington Library, right near Pasadena). Julienne is a family owned restaurant and has been in San Marino, since 1985. The food is scrumptious, serving scones, sandwiches, salads and elegant breakfasts. What I also like is that they have a gourmet market right next door serving french macarons, currant scones (you can also now buy the frozen dough to bake later if you wish), sandwiches and salads to go. They also sell wine, candles, cookbooks and other gift items.

Some of you may have already discovered Julienne's, but what you may not know is that they also do catering (in fact, they started as a catering business). I recently had them cater my best-friend's bridal shower and they did a superb job with the food! Everyone at the event commented on the elegant selection of food ranging from mini ham and brie sandwiches on a french roll; to smoked salmon canapes with herbed cream cheese and dill; to coconut curry chicken bites. (I'm getting hungry just writing this).

From a marketing perspective, Julienne's does a great job in making its catering menu sound appealing by offering ready-to-go selections like "Afternoon Tea," which is what I had ordered for the shower. They also offer "Two-Hour Cocktail Party" and "Heavy Hors D'oeuvres Cocktail Party," in addition to others. Furthermore, they have an on-site private library dining room that can host a party up to 16 people. Pictures of the event space are on Julienne's website (see below for link), along with photos of some of their gourmet food items. Julienne's catering staff will also work with you on menu selections and recommendations on food quantities. All of these elements, along with exceptional customer service, create a dining and catering experience that is worth the drive.

If you happen to go, make sure you visit their website, or call first. They aren't open for dinner and are closed on Sundays. Plus, they don't accept reservations on Saturdays (yikes....why again am I sharing this information with all of you?). Check them out, I promise you won't be disappointed.

http://www.juliennetogo.com/

Marketing Miss - Extra TV

I have to admit that I regularly follow celebrity gossip and actually enjoy it. I read my Us Weekly on a frequent basis and tune-in to celebrity gossip shows, such as Extra and Access Hollywood. I have also been known to surf celebrity gossip sites, such as TMZ. However, something happened recently on Extra that made me pause and reconsider the content of their program. You see, Extra recently hired Rachel Uchitel as a celebrity news correspondent. You may be asking yourself, "why does that name sound so familiar?" Well, that is because you have heard her name in the news alongside Tiger Woods. She is one of his many alleged former mistresses and has become a popular fixture in celebrity news. However, where the "marketing miss" lies is with the program Extra. Why should a woman, or anyone for that matter, receive a job based on no credentials other than their bad behavior? I had to wonder, what kind of message does this send to other young women who are trying to get a job based on true employment credentials, such as education and past work experience? Granted, Uchitel has experience in courting celebrities and will report on nightlife for Extra, however, would she have been hired by Extra if her name hadn't become synonymous with Woods?

Sadly, this isn't the first time that a woman has profited from their bad behavior. Look at Monica Lewinsky and the notoriety she gained from her indiscretions with President Clinton. She was able to launch her purse designs to the masses (although not sure how popular they are now). Or, what about the other women who have benefited from canoodling with politicians and writing their "tell-all" books?

I can't say that I'm going to stop watching Access Hollywood, or stop reading my Us Weekly, but I am going to reconsider watching Extra. At least Access Hollywood has the decency to not follow Tiger Wood's kids as they go to-and-from school. I actually like the fact that at times the program mentions they aren't going to air certain celebrity coverage or buy photos if they believe it is crossing the line. Too bad I can't say the same for Extra, who is instead trying to profit from a woman's poor decision-making skills, and is making themselves look bad in the process.

Marketing Hit - Grands Crus de Bordeaux

This past week I had the good fortune of attending the Grands Crus de Bordeaux, otherwise known as the Great Wines of Bordeaux, United States Tour. The Southern California event was held in L.A. at Hollywood and Highland at The Annex on January 27th.

Over 80 wine producers, and many chateau owners, from France poured samples for over 600 distributors, restaurant owners and industry media. I was also able to taste many of the wines as a volunteer and now have a greater appreciation for Bordeaux. I thought I would share some of my recommendations with you.

My favorite appellation is Margaux. I found Margaux to be very elegant, with its smooth texture and velvety finish. I recommend Chateau Lascombes, Chateau Cantenac-Brown, Chateau D'Angludet and Chateau Labegorce. An interesting piece of trivia is that Chateau Rauzan-Segla is owned by Chanel, as of 1994.

Other appellations that I enjoyed include Saint-Emilion and Pauillac. For Saint-Emilion, I recommend Chateau Troplong Mondot and for Pauillac, I recommend Chateau Haut-Bages Liberal; a true value at $27 a bottle.

From a marketing perspective, a well-executed and organized event such as this one, can have lasting affects on your audience's perception of a product or brand. By attending and participating in this event, I not only have a greater appreciation for Bordeaux, but hope to travel to the region within the next couple of years. Furthermore, this event has renewed my appreciation for old world wines and has encouraged me to continue with my wine education.

Marketing Miss - Team Tiger

I've been following the Tiger Woods "situation" for awhile now, and I can't help but wonder where is "Team Tiger" in all of this? Meaning, who is managing Tiger Woods' $1 billion personal brand in the fall-out of all of this controversy? As the public sits and wonders about what is true and what isn't, Woods' corporate sponsors are making decisions. For one, Accenture, recently dropped Tiger, and it has been rumored that Tag Heuer is now considering doing so (its brand is tied to "prestige" after all). In addition, Gillette won't air its television ads with Woods. Nike on the otherhand, is standing by their man, but they also stood by Michael Vick in the aftermath of his dog-fighting. By Team Tiger not actively managing its brand, Woods' stands to lose millions, not only in dropped corporate sponsorships, but also in renegotiated contracts. (I bet Nike will renegotiate its $40 million-a-year deal with Tiger).

Also, why isn't Team Tiger actively managing Tiger Woods' official web site (tigerwoods.com)? Yes, they posted Woods' apology statement on the site, but haven't modified much else. Woods' site still has Accenture listed, along with all of the other corporate sponsors (I thought Gatorade dropped him as well?). In addition, Woods' official web site lists "Tiger Quotes," such as, "There isn't a flaw in his golf or his makeup," by Jack Nicklaus. Also, a quote from Peter Kessler, host of The Golf Channel, "I realized for the first time that he was like Michael Jordan....?!" Now, is not the time to be compared to Michael Jordan if you know what I mean. Even retired basketball player Charles Barkley realized that sports figures should not be considered role models when in 1993 he famously declared that he wasn't one.

That's really my beef in this whole matter.....Team Tiger has sold us a brand based on integrity and now that integrity is in question. I realize that Woods is only human, however, Team Tiger has positioned Woods' as a role model; a good citizen and family man with high-moral values. That is why I think he is being judged so harshly by the public. You may even say that some us feel disappointed or even duped by what has transpired and the fact that we haven't really heard from Tiger Woods or his team other than a brief written statement.

The one last thing I'll say in this matter is that on Woods' official web site, Team Tiger lists "Tiger Quotes," one of which is the following: "Did you know that Tiger's biggest challenge is to become a better person tomorrow?" I guess that portion of Woods' official web site didn't need updating...

Marketing Miss - Target

Sadly, I have to report Target as a marketing miss. This past weekend I was shopping for draperies for my bedroom, and didn't want to spend a fortune on them. I found some at Target that were priced right for me at $19.99 a panel (yes, they were faux). I bought the drapery panels, the one I could find, at the Target near my home, and then drove to another Target about 7 miles away, where I purchased one more. I still needed 2 more drapery panels for my bedroom, so I asked for other store locations and determined that I could find the last 2 I needed at a Target approximately 8 more miles away. I was okay in knowing that inventory is often limited per store, so I was fine with making the needed trek to additional Target stores. What I was not fine with, was being told I had to pay $4 more dollars a panel at the Target 20 miles away from my home. Now, this might not sound like a big deal to you, but I was actually quite upset, especially when I asked the Target store manager to honor the price difference. (This was after producing my receipt to her, and product, reflecting the lower price at two other Target stores on the same day). The store manager admitted that it was out of her hands, and her direct quote was, "I get this same exact issue at least four times a day." She also handed me a card with a 1-800 number on it for me to call Target headquarters to share my experience. I intend to do just that, but I wanted to share this first with all of you on what I intend to say, "Dear Target, if you know direct store-to-store price discrepancies make your customers unhappy, why would you continue to infuriate them with it at least four times a day?" Obviously, this was a marketing miss on Target's part and a grand display of poor customer service. My recommendation for Target is to try and make your customer's happy to ensure repeat business, and to lessen the inevitable poor word-of-mouth that will result of not doing so.

Marketing Hits or Misses?

Share your marketing hits and misses that you have witnessed either at work (heaven forbid!) or through your daily encounters as a consumer. I would be interested to "hear" it...