by Siimon
10. February 2011 11:53
Last night I walked past one of the most extraordinary pieces of marketing I’ve ever seen.
It was a sign advertising a Sushi restaurant nearby.
The sign had no enticing picture of the food, or rave reviews from customers. All it said was the following:
SUSHI PARK.
AUTHENTIC SUSHI BAR.
No! Take Out
No! Trendy Sushi
No! Salad
No! Teriyaki, Tempura
No! California Roll
No! Spicy Tuna Roll
2nd Floor
How's that for unusual marketing?
I made a point of checking out how the restaurant was doing.
It was full.
I also went online to read the customer reviews.
They were glowing.
So what's the lesson here?
I think there are several:
1. People like companies that make a stand.
Consumers are sick of companies sitting in the middle, playing it safe and not being different in any meaningful way.
In the very rare times that we actually see a company with the balls to make a stand for something, many of us are instantly attracted to it.
Are you being too wimpy with your company's positioning?
2. We love authenticity.
In a world overflowing with fake people and products, consumers are crying out for anything authentic.
Clearly the diners at Sushi Park get exactly that. Nothing fancy, but an exceedingly authentic Sushi experience.
(For a great book on the power of being authentic in business, read 'Authenticity. What Consumers Really Want', by James Gilmore and Joseph Pine).
3. Great companies don't try to please everyone.
Can you imagine how many customers Sushi Park have lost with their sign?
Probably thousands.
Yet being so extreme and unusual has also attracted thousands to their restaurant.
If they'd played it safe, they would just be like any other Sushi restaurant, which the city is already saturated with.
They'd be virtually invisible, and probably struggling to make a living, instead of packed with diners.
In the end, Sushi Park's sign shows us that business is a lot like any other area of life.
Fortune favours the brave.
