There are two parts to any
marketing material. It doesn’t matter if it’s a catalog, a brochure, or a menu.
And both parts are equally important. One is more subjective, and the other is more
objective. I struggle to put a number one and number two to the parts, because
the moment I do that, you may think of one as more important than the other.
The same would be true of labeling them A or B.
The fact is, they are both
equally important and both need attention. One part is the science of developing
the strategy for the piece, and the other part is the creative process – the
story telling, art, design, and imagination.
Disney has built an empire
on finding a perfect balance between these two components. I was once at a
conference and met a rising star in the music business. He was lamenting the
formula that Disney uses to create successful movies, television programs, and
music. He said that the constraints of the process left out much of what he
thought of as art.
I pointed out that the
process he was engaged in was a commercial process, and that he could just as
easily work on his art in his own time, and work on the commercial art for
Disney. He didn’t really like that
answer, and to be perfectly honest, neither do I. I struggle with that myself.
I went to the university to be a fine artist, and only succumbed to the
commercial side of the business because it seemed a natural extension of my
talents. And now more than 20 years into my career, I do precious little art
for the sake of art itself.
But there are times when I
get involved with a project that allows a greater level of creativity. Such was
the case with Egg Harbor Café.
Romance and the Brand
In their book The 22 Immutable Laws of Marketing, Al Ries
and Jack Trout wrote, “Marketing is not a battle of products, it’s a battle of
perceptions.” And when a guest takes hold of your menu, whether it’s for the
first time, or if they have done it time and again, the perception of the
service, food, and experience to come is either enhanced and supported or detracted
from and inhibited.
For several years I had
the pleasure of working with a chef who was on our staff to help develop menus
and menu items for our restaurant clients. He summed up the perception concept
exceptionally well when he said, “The food cannot totally suck, but the menu
has to be exceptional.” There is a long list of products that are arguably
inferior to the best-in-class and yet often enjoy the leading position or a
close second in the category. There is also a long list of reasons each
consumer might give to justify their choices. But each is still an example of a
product that doesn’t suck and marketing that is, at times, brilliant.
Is One Chicken Picture Better
than Another?
I don’t know who drew the
original Egg Harbor chicken, nor do I know who did the artwork for the Egg
Harbor menu before my team worked on it. But I’m willing to bet they would
rationalize theirs is as good or better than the one we developed. Everyone is
a critic, and while I know which one I
like better, there is still no accounting for taste.
We developed at least a
half dozen illustration styles before settling on the one the client finally
chose. Each had its own qualities, some were arguably more fun, but ultimately,
the style we settled on works well in this application. Egg Harbor is breakfast
concept, and the early morning sun with the arrangement of ingredients and the
rooster flanked by morning glories enhances the name and image for this chain
of restaurants.
If you like this post and would like to contact me, please do so at mlaux@laux.com
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