FRIDAYS AT FOUR Volume Nine Issue Six

FRIDAYS AT FOUR
Volume Nine Issue Six
News and Trends from the weekly clippings
GF Strategies President Greg Flakus

We start this issue with this story from Hackensack New Jersey. “State Fair rolls out aromatic ad trucks”. That right, starting this weekend, the State Fair Meadowlands, sent billboard trucks out bearing the scent of cotton candy to promote the Fair. Scent marketing is a hot trend. The trucks are being placed by shopping malls and high traffic areas in northern New Jersey.  (AP)

Other news and notes–

• A company out of San Jose Altieri is working with retail stores to replicate the Internet experience in stores. “IN today’s retail environment, the employees do not have time to have extensive product knowledge. Our signs can deliver this information in the way a salesperson used to do. Each sign has its own unique address and is programmed by a hand held device. –Signage Solutions May June.
• Talk is emerging about a Seasoning tax. Obesity epidemic now claims 34 percent of US Adults.  According to some the proposed taxes might not have the desired effect. It may take as much as a ten percent increase in foods like soda, candy and chips to lower the consumption by only one percent. Some facts—30 states have tried and failed to tax soda. Denmark levied the first fat tax in 2011. –Time Magazine
• Look for a company called Bitly to emerge this year. The company has a suite of data products called Real Time. It tracks terms that receive sudden bursts of attention. The goal according to Hilary Mason is to “give people a Spidey sense about what’s going on the Internet that relevant to them”.- Business Week
• Pearl Media has developed a new way to reach consumers via outdoor media. Called a 3D Projection mapping system, the latest technology uses gesture based technology, touch technology and photo capture to create a shopping window ad interact with the passer by. For Remy Martin, an alcohol brand, the firm created a street level billboard that resembled a nightclub. IN order to be admitted, you had to knock on a virtual 3D powered door, and interact with a digital “bouncer. Texting the correct password allowed entry to the party. -Adweek efforts reaching
• Giant Grocery Chain and Peapod have created signage at train stations that allows consumers to order items for home delivery. They scan or tap in codes to place orders directly from the sign. The campaign which started in March is so successful it is expanding to Chicago- Adweek.
• McDonald’s reports they are able to change their billboard messages depending on the outside temperatures. During morning drive ads can target breakfast specials, afternoon focus on deals related to take home salads and dinner times.  –AdWeek.
• A company called Placecast is working with retailers that places geofences around stores, parks and resorts for its clients. The technology allows companies like North Face to keep their buyers connected with the brand. The program sends out text messages to those who visit their displays in stores or at resorts who have signed up for a loyalty club._-Wall Street Journal
• The 2012 Food Management News Trendsetters are out and here are the seven trends that are listed as HOT—chefs in schools, local sourcing, farm to cafeteria, onsite gardens, gluten free meals, sustainability and wellness programs. Listed as cold—trans fats. And just three years ago that was the hottest food issue on the planet. FM News 2012
• Also from Food Management News comes the seven hot categories for Food Trucks on college campuses—Kalua Pig, Spam Sliders, Singapore Noodles, the Pork Sandwich, Bahn Mi, Cuban sandwich. The U of Washington truck mixes and matches Korean, Hawaiian and Pacific Island Street –FM News June 2012

We close with this quote from the Founder of Honda Soichiro Honda

“Many people dream of success. To me success can be achieved only through repeated failure and introspection. IN fact, success represents the 1 percent of your work which results from the 99 percent that is called failure”

Our book recommendation  this issue is by Dev Patniak and is called Wired to Care.

Thanks for your business and contact us if you are seeking to increase your food and beverage revenues, design and remodel existing locations or seek a new year round food services company.

greg@gfstrategies….. 360-573-7027  www.gfstrategies.com