Harry’s Bar: Product Life Cycle

Reid writes that the product life cycle is a theory that “describes how a product progresses from its infancy as a new product in development, through a growth phase, to a maturity phase, and then, eventually into decline.”

In last week’s class, we discussed the “product life cycle” of Lone Star and determined that it currently sits on the peak of the cycle, in the “mature” stage. This topic stayed with me, and I wanted to try and figure out another successful business’ positioning in the cycle. As I was browsing the Ottawa Citizen’s travel section, I came across this article:
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/story_print.html?id=5754911&sponsor=

For those of you who’d rather not read it, I’ll explain.

Harry’s New York Bar is a bar (obviously) in Paris that opened exactly 100 years ago (almost to the day).
In 1911, it was suggested to Harry MacElhone, by a US jockey, to shift his existing New York bar to Rue Daunou, in Paris, France. By “shift”, I mean completely dismantle it, move it across the ocean, and set it all up again.

Harry had taken the advice, and on the American’s Thanksgiving Day, November 26, 1911, had opened his new establishment, which eventually became the birthplace of several well-known cocktails. These include: The White Lady (1919), The Blood Mary (1921), The Side Car (1931), The Blue Lagoon (1960), and many more. His bar also became the choice watering hole of some big names, including famous author and Noble Prize winner, Ernest Hemingway (a close friend to the MacElhone family).
Famous movie icon, James Bond, deemed Harry’s the best place in Paris to get a “solid drink”, where the original “shaken not stirred” vodka martini was created.

The fame doesn’t stop there, for here we are, 100 years later, and Harry’s is still known for being “a small corner of Manhattan in the heart of Paris”.( AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE) The bar’s current owner, Isabelle MacElhone (grand-daughter in-law to Harry), planned a centennial celebration for 300 guests and also plans to publish a book about the bar’s history in the very near future.

In the new paper’s interview, Isabelle discussed the plainness of the establishment. It’s described as having an “aged wooden bar, (with) white-aproned barmen (who can) expertly mix the driest of Martinis or pour out tumblers of single-malt Scotch”. (AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE) The bar also doesn’t contain any televisions and plays no music, making their main focus discussion and conversation.

Isabelle is quoted by saying, “It’s not a trendy place, but this is why it will never be out of fashion.”

So, here’s the big question: How can a bar with no “extras” still be successful after 100 straight years of service?

In the city of lights, it stands as the only bar of its kind, being surrounded by stereotypical French brasseries and bistros, giving the bar a fresh look in comparison. With its undeniable fame through celebrity customers like Clint Eastwood and Humphrey Bogart and having created over 5 legendary cocktails, Harry’s has become an American “hot spot” in Paris.

My Thoughts:

Honestly, upon reading the article I was actually surprised that a bar making little or no effort to move forward with trends and style, ESPECIALLY in Paris, France, could remain open in our ever-changing society. I just couldn’t picture something that sounded so “blah” (by physical description) making it through my generation’s high demands. Even in our mixology course, the professor has owned a few bars and has told us that it’s almost impossible to survive in the bar industry for a long time because most people are looking for the next big thing.

However, Harry’s seems to be sitting proudly in its maturity stage after all this time. If it has sunk in any measure over the years, a celebration like a centennial will have definitely shot them right back up. From my understanding, this is due to its history of creating legendary drinks, serving remarkable and famous clientele and from their focus on a social atmosphere, instead of a material-based one.

I think it would be interesting to be in a city like Paris, and walk into a place so plain in décor, but with such a rich history. I would personally love to visit this bar and experience a bar scene without any music or televisions, something that before now, didn’t seem too realistic to me.

Congratulations Harry, you’ve officially gone down in history.

Cheers,

Sam

The Smirnoff Rocket: Planning a New Product

Original Smirnoff Ice

I don’t know about any of you, but in my group of friends, when we started partying – beer and Smirnoff Ice were the two drinks that filled the fridge. Now, beer is beer so it’s very hard to get sick of it. There’s so many different labels, and each company has a different variety of beers (light, citrus, honey, low-alcohol, non-alcoholic), but coolers – those are tricky.

It could be the sugar or the type of cooler (rum, vodka, etc.) but coolers always seem to get old fast. There is not one of my friend that will purposely buy a Smirnoff Ice anymore because after a while, the taste became almost sickening. I must not be the only person noticing this, because, although Smirnoff Ice is still one of the leading “coolers” available, they have really branched themselves out in a short amount of time (as if trying to become more appealing).

Smirnoff Twisted

Smirnoff Ice is technically not a cooler, in fact according to their website, this beverage sits closely to the beer family because it’s actually brewed and in some countries outside of Canada (like the US) it doesn’t actually contain vodka. It’s called a citrus-flavoured “malt beverage” and has an ABV of 5.5% alcohol. However, because of its appearance of being a cooler, it’s almost been pinned as a female’s beverage which was not Smirnoff’s intent. This drink was created as a beer alternative for those who don’t like beer or wanted something different. But, their popularity was still high so they launched an even more “feminine” line of beverages called “Smirnoff Ice Twisted” where they incorporated more flavours like raspberry, grape, green apple and even blueberry.

How were they going to get their appeal towards “manly-men” back? Simple. The stereotypical man likes beer. Not a problem! One of the latest crazes on the market is citrus beer, Smirnoff Ice has a citrus flavour, put the two together (50% beer, 50% Smirnoff Ice) and you have the Smirnoff Rocket!

The actual product of Smirnoff Ice was not changed, there’s no specific type you buy to mix into your beer of choice, just the original Smirnoff Ice. With just a little advertising online, and a “recipe” on each box of Smirnoff, you’ve got yourself a new product.

This is a defensive strategy, which Reid (2010) describes as a strategy “used to counter the effects on an existing product from a competitor’s new product.” Smirnoff is a lot smarter than I would have ever thought. They saw the market for citrus beer was sky (rocket)ing and took the opportunity to connect their citrus product with the demand for this citrus beer and “created” a product without actually creating anything.

Smirnoff Rocket

My personal thoughts:

I have tried the original Smirnoff Ice, Smirnoff Ice Twisted, and so, this summer, I thought it would be good to try “The Smirnoff Rocket”. I thought it sounded completely disgusting at first, and although it wasn’t great – it wasn’t half bad. A bunch of my friends actually enjoy it, however they find it expensive because you’re paying for both your beer and the Smirnoff Ice to go into it.

I think that over-all it was a smart marketing idea because even the people who find it sounds gross would most likely consider trying just to see what it tasted like. And since it only tastes half a beer and half a Smirnoff, if they didn’t like it, the consumer would still (most likely) drink the remaining Smirnoff – maybe rekindling their interest in the original drink.

Again, those are only my thoughts – feel free to comment!

Cheers,

Sam

Information source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smirnoff

Chimo Hotel: SWOT Analysis

We know from our textbook that Reid (2010) describes SWOT analysis as “the basis on which strategic marketing plans are developed.” So, keeping that in mind, I plan to figure out The Chimo Hotel’s current plan and how they can alter it.

I do have to admit that I stole the idea for this blog from another blogger in my class (which you may have noticed), but I thought I could show a different perspective and do mine on a hotel that doesn’t quite reach a luxurious standard. This hotel isn’t stryctured to it’s potential, in a sense.

Image source: http://www.destination360.com/north-america/canada/ontario/gloucester/chimo-hotel-ottawa/hotel

I chose The Chimo Hotel because my group was assigned this hotel for our final assignment in Room Divisions, and therefore I know a lot about this property in particular. I found doing the project gave us a really good sense of what the hotel had, what they needed, what they could strive for and what they should be careful to watch for.

S – STRENGTHS
-great customer service
*from both my experience, as well as online reviews, I found this to be their greatest asset*
-fair rating of 3.5 stars
-welcoming atmosphere
-good value *get what you pay for*
-very business friendly
-new renovations to MOST guest rooms
-offers fitness facilities
-offers two dining options onsite
-sited beside Lone Star restaurant *which is a property the Chimo rents out*
-across from St.Laurent Shopping Centre
-just outside of the downtown core
-not far from Casino du Lac Leamy
-hotel offers free parking
-offers free wifi

W –  WEAKNESSES
-Lobby’s furniture is very outdated
*doesn’t match the atmosphere*
-no room service
-main fitness facility is outdated
*compared to the gold floor’s fitness room (for only gold floor guests) which is newly renovated*
-floors 2-5 have not received renovations
*only the silver and gold level floors were renovated, leaving the bronze level rooms a little outdated*
-no family or  youth programs offered
-no reward programs
-no green programs
-no family packages offered
-no special coupons or discounts are offered to guests
-continental breakfast only offered for gold floor guests

O –  OPPORTUNITIES
-could incorporate a rewards program
-could upgrade fitness center for all guests (instead of just gold floor)
-could take part in green programs
*currently rated 3 green keys, but takes part in no programs*
-could create a family center or kids area
*to expand their market and reach to families who may be interested in accommodations*
-could offer family packages
*even by offering a continental breakfast to all guests*
-since they own the Lone Star next door, they could offer meal vouchers or organize a discount for guests
-brighten-up and update lobby
*first thing the guests see*
-could re-incorporate room service
*seeing as they have 2 function kitchens/restaurants already*

T – THREATS
-competitors with same Product Form (Welcome Inns, Hampton Inn, and Travelodge East) *these all offer the same product (accommodations at a 3.5 star hotel), around the same price (approximately $100-$130/night), and are after the same target market (business travelers)*
-The Southway Inn and New Courtyard Marriott as competition
*after the same target market but offers more amenities and are therefore able to charge a higher room rate (which some travelers are willing to pay for the extras)*
-gas prices
*hotel advertises not being far from a lot of Ottawa’s main attractions, but with the price of gas, travelers may want accommodations within walking distance*

In other words…

What Chimo has:
Chimo is a large hotel with over 200 rooms, most of which are beautifully renovated. The hotel also offers a lovely pool and a satisfactory fitness center available to all guests.
The hotel’s restaurant (Quincy’s) and pub (Clancy’s) are available to any paying customer and their food and service have had rave reviews.
The hotel also sits on high praises when it comes to customer service over-all. Guests love the attention they’re given and the friendliness of the staff.

What Chimo needs:
The Chimo needs a larger market to branch-out to. More families are traveling and the hotel could stand for some demographical updates! They have many meeting rooms, a few board rooms, and even a business center. With the thousands of people interested in Early Childhood Education, it certainly wouldn’t be difficult to hire some more staff and incorporate a day care, an activity center, or even a youth activity group.
Some business travelers have to travel with their children, and knowing that the hotel they’re staying at will have a program to keep their child occupied and out of trouble would be a great sales point. A staff member could accompany the children to the pool for a “kids swim” one day, and plan an “arts and crafts” activity the next.

What Chimo could strive for:
Chimo could strive towards creating some sort of rewards program and green program. These two factors could definitely increase the hotel’s reputation and the amount of returning guests.
Green programs would be a big hit for a lit of travelers these days because the world is being a little more of it’s carbon footprint. Offering  products in each room that are made of recycled materials, and having green bins and compost areas for the kitchens could go a long way.

What Chimo should be careful to watch for:
Most of Chimo’s competition have the same Product Form and, as I stated above, the whole world’s becoming more aware of our carbon footprints. So, the hotel should really watch for their competition’s steps towards becoming greener and more eco-friendly establishments. As competitors, Chimo should be really reaching to beat them out, and seeing as most of these hotels already offer a complimentary continental breakfast to all guests, they’re already a step behind.

Anyways, those are my thoughts guys and if you have any comments – feel free!

Cheers,

Sam

One Friday Night: Segmentation

On a Friday night, my friend and I wanted to go clubbing in Hull. She had a class until 8:30, so we were going to meet for 9 at her school, pre-drink (like we kids do) in our friend’s dorm, and then head-out to do our legal partying.
Our first road-block was our own fault. My friend’s class ended early, and once I arrived at the campus, it was too late to go to our other friend’s room without her having to come all the way downstairs to get us, sign us in, then trek back up to her room (which was not easily accessible).
So, without any other ideas, we continued on to Hull where we decided to get a bite to eat at a cute little restaurant called “Le Troquet”. We figured, we were about 2 or 3 hours too early for the clubs to be any fun, and we never had the chance to pre-drink, so a drink and a shared plate of nachos would be a good time-killer.

Source: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/le-droit/200908/24/01-895370-le-troquet-precise.php
This place was very tiny, almost boring in decor, and wasn’t very busy at first, so we managed to get a table for 2 quite fast. But, not short after we ordered our drinks, “Le Troquet” was packed with groups of people, drinking, laughing and having a great time.
I ordered a Blue Lagoon and my friend ordered a Long Island Iced Tea, which both arrived in 2 minutes flats (perfectly made, might I add). We looked through the huge menu, which was filled with soups, salads, sandwiches and other favourites, all promising to be tasty with a homemade twist.
After a few minutes, we decided to stick with our original plan and ordered our chicken nachos from the very edgy, but polite server, and started to catch-up with each other’s lives.
As we sat there I really started to appreciate the simple decor and the dim lighting. Even with all the other conversations buzzing around us, we sat comfortably in our gossip and it almost felt private.
As my friend went to the rest room, I became more aware of my surroundings. Our table sat next to the bar which had a list of the top beers they recommended, and a happy bartender chatting away with a customer. One group of customers sat happily beside a very large window facing out to the restaurant’s patio, which looked like it would be a great place to eat and socialize on a nice, sunny day.
The music selection was mostly alternative in genre, I liked it. I couldn’t really hear it unless I listened for it though.
Eventually we had finished our food and drinks, and asked for the cheque. The bills were more than reasonable for the service and the orders we’d received, so we paid, thanked our server and left in great moods.

Last Tuesday, we talked about segmentation and all the different things business owners focus on to draw-in specific customers. Well, after my experience at “Le Troquet”, I started wondering about which segmentation methods it used.

Geographic:
From what we could see, the restaurant could get customers (like myself) too early for the night clubs and in need of a place to hang-out, but mostly those who live in the area.

Demographic:
(Based on my experience)
Gender: M-60% F-40%
Age: 18-30
Income: $30,000 – $50,000
Martial Status: C-10% S-90% (Cannot be sure that the people we saw didn’t have spouses, but most were in friendly groups of 20 year olds. Only 1 table seemed to be on a date.)

Psychographic:
-Customers seemed sociable, friendly, and lively
-Customers were definitely  those who preferred bars to clubs
-Vibe of restaurant felt comfortable and private
-Surrounding conversations seemed to be light, intelligent and humorous
-Everyone seemed to be in good spirits

Behavioral:
I wouldn’t be surprised if every other customer that night had been to “Le Troquet” before. I, myself, have brought friends back there since. The place seemed to be filled with: 
-Thinkers (MATURE, SATISFIED, COMFORTABLE)
-Achievers  (PREDICTBILITY, STABILITY)
-Survivors (COMFORTABLE  WITH FAMILIARITY, MODEST MARKET LOYALTY)

Benefits:
-Small/Private
-Comfortable atmosphere
-Reasonable Price
-Approachable staff
-Great Value

I’m personally concluding that the owners opened “Le Troquet” as a neighbourhood bar, expecting to get young groups of regulars, looking for a comfortable hang-out. If this was in fact their goal, they seem to have succeeded and I would personally recommend this small, but enjoyable spot.

Cheers,

Sam

Choosing a Vacation Spot 2: Conclusion

Source: http://local.yahoo.com/info-14202300-casa-marina-resort-beach-club-the-waldorf-astoria-collection-key-west
Evaluation #1: Based solely on my sister and my top priority (all-inclusive price), or using the “non-compensated” method, the best resort for us would be the Grand Paradise Bavaro Beach Resort.

Reasoning: It had a lower price (by $24/person) and, from the list of all-inclusive activities, it seems more appealing to people our age.

Evaluation #2: Using the “compensated” method, my sister and I each gave the resorts marks out of 10. The Grand Paradise Bavaro Beach Resort averaged a 6/10 and The Casa Marina Beach Resort 7.5/10.

Reasoning: Although both resorts seemed to have the exact same structure in what they offered, The Casa Marina not only received a better quality rating, but it offered ideas for activities outside the actual resort. This made us both feel a little more relaxed where security is concerned, and it also suggests that the area (Sosua, Dominican) is more lively and youthful.

Conclusion: After some discussion, we’ve decided on The Casa Marina Beach Resort in Sosua, Dominican Republic. We figure it’s worth the extra bit of money to have better quality/service and we really like the idea of the resort being surrounded by different activities.

Comment if you have any thoughts.

Cheers,

Sam

(All sources from my research)

Grand Bavaro –
http://www.grandparadisebavaro.com/

Reviews + Ratings –
http://www.monarc.ca/

itravel –
http://www.itravel2000.com/

Details on Grand Bavaro-
http://www.aircanadavacations.com/catalog/externalResortDetails.do;jsessionid=06575A8ADF2C1905560989E27F022370.cls02?hotelCode=GRAN&destinationCode=PUJ&language=en

Casa Marina –
http://www.casamarinabeachhotel.com/

Details on Casa Marina –
http://www.sunwing.ca/HotelDesc/En/POPCMB.asp

Choosing a Vacation Spot: Problem Solving Process

My sister and I are taking our first solo vacation without our parents and have decided on the Dominican Republic for our ideal destination! We have a few things we’re looking for in a resort before we choose one. Here’s our list in order of priority:

1. All-Inclusive Price (needs to include all meals and drinks minimum)
2. Quality of Resort (needs to be 3-5 stars)
3. Activities Offered (wide variety, both adventure and leisure)
4. Atmosphere (exciting? adventurous? relaxed?)
5. Location (safe neighborhood)

First Option:   Grand Paradise Bavaro Beach Resort

Price: $1572 (tax included)

All-inclusive plan:
– 3 Meals (daily) including snacks + reservations
– All drinks (domestic alcohol and non-alcohol beverages, wine with lunch + dinner, afternoon tea)
-Use of non-motorized water sports (snorkeling, kayaking, catamarans, windsurfing, scuba for beginners)
-Land sports (tennis, badminton, table tennis, volleyball, mini golf, bicycles, billiards, boccia, soccer, basketball)
-Daily activities, nightly entertainment, disco (drinks included), sports bar open 24 hours
-Use of beach/pool chairs and towels

Quality:
According to itravel200.com, this resort had 343 reviews, the website averaged them all out and these are their results…
The rooms – 3/5
The quality with price – 3/5
The reception/front desk – 2.5/5
The beaches – 4.5/5
The location – 4/5
The bathrooms – 2.5/5
The staff/crew – 3/5
The cleanliness – 3/5
The food/restaurants – 3/5
For an OVER-ALL rating of 3/5 stars.

All Activities Offered (not already mentioned):
Non – motorized water sports*:
Scuba Diving School and tours ($), Windsurfing ($)
Motorized – water sports ($):
Banana boat, Para sailing and boat tours
Other Activites:
Horseback riding ($), Kiko’s Kids Club, Tennis (night $)

Atmosphere:
The Grand Paradise Bavaro Beach Resort describes itself as a resort for all ages with the “friendliest of service”. They have everything needed to accommodate for seniors, couples and the ever-popular family vacation.

Second Option:   Casa Marina Beach Resort

Price: $1596 (tax included)

All-inclusive plan:
– 3 Meals daily plus snacks
– All drinks (domestic beer and cocktails, house wine with dinner only, 10am–11pm)
– Daily activities, nightly entertainment
– Sports and classes (snorkeling, introductory scuba lesson, bicycles, water aerobics, aerobics, beach volleyball, board games, billiards, dance lessons, access to arcade, language lessons, darts, ping pong)
– Use of beach chairs, towels and palapas/sun shelters

Quality:
According to itravel200.com, this resort had 135 reviews, the website averaged them all out and these are their results…
The rooms – 3/5
The quality with price – 3.5/5
The reception/front desk – 3/5
The beaches – 3.5/5
The location – 4/5
The bathrooms – 3/5
The staff/crew – 3.5/5
The cleanliness – 3.5/5
The food/restaurants – 3.5/5
For an OVER-ALL rating of 3.5/5 stars.

All Activities Offered (not already mentioned):
Deep Sea Fishing ($) (nearby)
Kite Surfing ($) (nearby)
Surfing/Boogie Boarding ($) (nearby)
Golf (18 or 9 holes) ($) (nearby)
Beauty Salon ($)
Massage Therapy ($)

Bonus (other places of interest nearby):
Supermarket
Casino
Movie Theater
Photography Store
Clothing Stores and Shops

Atmosphere:
The Casa Marina website describes the resort as a “fascinating spot” with a “charming atmosphere and inexhaustible fun possibilities”. Also, in a few reviews I found, it was described as a “colourful”, “Tranquil” and “beautiful”.

Location:
Although I could not find a specific review on the security of The Grand Paradise Bavaro or The Casa Marina Beach Resort, itravel2000.com’s user have the chance to rate each destination on many factors, one being security!
94% of itravel users would recommend Punta Cana, Dominican as a vacation spot, with an average security rating of 9 out of 10.

Let me know what you think while I do my own little evaluation and of course the “compensated” and “non-compensated” choices.

Cheers,

Sam

Marketing Mix: Juice Monkey

We discussed “Farb’s Restaurant Marketing Mix” in last week’s class, and I decided I wanted to try and figure out the marketing mix of one of my favourite places – Juice Monkey.

Juice Monkey is a fun and unique place to go. It’s most well-known for its smoothies with their slogan, “You choose it, we juice it.” With this menu, you have a choice of 9 fruits, 5 signature smoothies, 3 cup sizes (ranging from “mini monkey” to “juice monkey”), and what they call their “bonus shots” which can be anything from “whey/chocolate whey” to Oreo cookies!

This family-run business also offers 8 different kinds of sandwiches, fresh Belgian Waffles,  parfaits and frozen yogurt swirls, all made to your liking.

After you’ve received your order from the incredibly friendly staff, you have the option of taking your food to go, or relaxing in their lounge. The lounge has TVs, board games, air hockey, cards, and plenty of couches and other seating areas where you can enjoy your food and great company.

1.

>Product-service:
Breakfast/Lunch/Snack
(Smoothies, Sandwiches, Frozen Yogurt, Waffles, Power Bars, Coffee)
Cafe
Lounge/Hangout
Walk-in/Take-out
Serves Groups

>Presentation:
Vibrant/Bright
Cozy
Friendly/Welcoming
Fun
Fresh

>Price:
$5-$12

2.

>Distribution:
N/A

>Communication:
Facebook
Website
Advertising (Bus Shelters, Coupons, etc)

3.

>Market Mix:
Appropriate for all ages, but popular with youth.
Located in Orleans (only one location).
Male/Female Ratio: 50/50

Let me know what you think, and if you’ve been there, let me know if you think I forgot anything!

Cheers,

Sam

Photo Source: http://www.officialjuicemonkey.com/

Introduction

This blog is part of an assignment I’m required to do for my Hospitality Marketing I class, at Algonquin College. We are to create our own Word Press dedicated to topics and discussions that come-up in our weekly classes, but FIRST, an introduction of myself…

Hi, I’m Sam and I have no idea where my increasingly expensive education is going to take me.

At first, when I found out about this Hotel and Restaurant Management program, I instantly thought about hotels. I was drawn to the idea of working at big, beautiful accommodations like, The Westin Hotel, or The Chateau Laurier (before I decided it was too stuck-up, but that’s another story all together). I figured, dealing with customer service and employee problems wouldn’t be that difficult because I’ve always considered myself to be very people oriented, but there’s just so much more about the tourism industry that fascinates me. This, though a heavy weight on my bank account, I decided to take to my advantage.

Because I am only in the diploma program, my course is just two years long, as appose to those in the four year bachelor program. So, I’ll have just enough time to complete another two programs before those taking the bachelor program even graduate! (So HA!) I plan to take an additional year to specialize in Event Management, then take the 15 week Bartending program and walk away with 3 full diplomas!

Currently, however, I work as a Post Office Clerk, in Shoppers Drug Mart. It’ll be three years in March, and I won’t say I love it, but I know that it’s a lot more rewarding than most other part-time jobs. Other than the AMAZING DISCOUNT (on-top of getting better than minimum wage) and the skill it’s taken to master the systems, I love the people I work with and many of our regular customers.

I’d love to hear any comments/criticism you’ve got – constructive or not! My mom wanted me to be a lawyer because I have an answer for EVERYTHING!

Cheers,

Sam