The minute-long Hot Spud Café YouTube video is a close up of a potato being stuffed with signature toppings. The ad includes strengths describing the immense amount of food and toppings that go into a potato at this restaurant; a healthy all-in-one meal which would appeal to the nearby college crowd. However, one weakness of the video is neglecting to show the variety of their menu. Another weakness is that the Midwestern American narrator is not a suiting voice for the Turkish potato restaurant. Additionally, it may help to add a brief explanation on Turkish cuisine so the customer has a cultural understanding of the Hot Spud Café.
The identity, or brand, of The Hot Spud Café separates itself from other fast food establishments through the unique nature of its product. According to our MKTG5 textbook, a brand is “a name, term, symbol, design, or combination thereof that identifies a seller’s products and differentiates them from competitor’s products.” (162) The physical symbol for this restaurant is a potato, which is not very exciting. Their product, however, is one of a kind and gives the Hot Spud Café a “product differentiation competitive advantage.” (20) Nonetheless, they are still in competition with the local restaurants in the area. Their target market is the consumer that is willing to try something different, or who is tired of the normal, everyday beverage, burger, and fries. The nearby psychographic of adolescent college students seems like it was a prominent factor when choosing a location for the restaurant. Below we analyzed the marketing mix (pages 25-26):
- Product: We believe the owners did well in choosing a very specific product to help them gain an edge over the competition.
- Price: At $5.70 per potato, it is reasonably priced. That’s cheaper than a chipotle burrito and is a larger portion.
- Place: The placement of the restaurant (right around the corner from CSUF) could be a little better, but it’s great that it’s near a college campus with the demographic of college students primarily ranging from 18-22. Students in this range often represent a niche psychographic of food enthusiasts.
- Promotion: The restaurant needs help promoting their restaurant. The homepage on the website is a wall of text, when it should be large pictures of their potatoes. We prefer to eat potatoes, not paragraphs. Also, the YouTube video did not positively reflect the restaurant.
The Hot Spud Café will be able to reach a larger audience at a deeper level through segmentation (Atkins, 37). Specifically, they should focus on their geographic, demographic, and psychographic segments. The restaurant is located less than a mile away from 35,000 Southern California college students. If the Hot Spud Café advertises at Cal State Fullerton, Fullerton College, and even the nearby high schools by offering discounts to students, they will be able to fully utilize the marketing strategies of segmentation.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths: Healthy, All-in-one meal, Social Media Links, Unique Experience and Menu, Coupons for College Students, Menu Available Online, Imported King Edward Convection Oven, Large Portions for Low Price
Weaknesses: Limited to Potatoes/Hot Dogs, One Location, Not Open Late, Ideas Easily Imitated, No Mass Production, Cultural Barrier to Americans
Opportunities: Geographic Potato Eaters, Possible European Decent Demographics, “Food Truck Crowd” or Unique Food Seekers, College Philanthropic Events
Threats: Competing Diverse Restaurants, Restaurants That Appeal to Americans, Mobile Food Trucks, Competition in Geographic Region
Note: The preceding post was written and researched by students in my Honors Marketing 351, Fall 2011 class, from the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics, Cal State Fullerton University, Fullerton California. Many thanks to their time, talent, and contributions to both their career and this marketing blog. Go Titans!
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