"Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
That, my friends, is Ferris Bueller genius. When I met my wife’s dad for the first time after proposing, he asked about my goals in life. I jokingly responded with that phrase. He countered by threatening to attach his foot to a specific portion of my posterior region. I guess not every iconic phrase transcends all generations.
Regardless of that personal encounter, I’m still convinced those words not only have social relevance for multiple generations, but can also be applied to business settings. One of my primary responsibilities is observing consumer behavior. Once I’ve “stopped and looked around,” I focus on determining how foodservice concepts can develop repeatable best practices and strategies that address consumers’ meal, snack and beverage demands.
So, enlightened by social trends I’m seeing in the marketplace and inspired by the wisdom of Matthew Broderick nearly three decades ago, I offer you the following: eight social sightings and how you can capitalize on them at the c-store level.
No. 1: Nuts For Knitting
Rumor has it that Julia Roberts taught Cameron Diaz to knit on the set of their romantic comedy “My Best Friend’s Wedding.” The current Guinness World Records holder has knitted more than 200 stitches in 3 minutes. (I can’t tie my shoes that fast.) But knitting isn’t just for the fast or famous. Head to your local coffee shop and you just might see a local knitting group composed of teens, older millennials, Gen Xers and baby boomers. It appears a growing number of people are rediscovering the joy of sitting around with fingers flying and conversations moving just as fast. According to the Craft Yarn Council (who knew?), 38 million people currently enjoy this activity. Personally, I tried to letter in that sport during high school but pulled a pinkie muscle by not warming up properly.
Capitalizing at the C-Store Level: People have anxiety. They’re often looking for experiences or products offering simple, straightforward and no-hidden-agenda characteristics. (Does that describe knitting or what!) Inside the four walls of your establishment, this philosophy can be applied to just about every customer/concept touchpoint. When possible, offer foods that include a minimal number of ingredients and processing influences. Local is still hot and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. One of the reasons for this is its strong “fresh” halo. The concept of fresh isn’t complicated. Consumers believe that what they see is what they get. Regarding staff, encourage employees to genuinely interact with guests in a manner exuding the true hospitality spirit of “I’m really glad to see you today!”
No. 2: Giddy For Gatsby
Walk through your favorite mall. My guess is you won’t be able to make it from one end to the other without seeing at least one example of something inspired by “The Great Gatsby” or, more broadly, the Roaring Twenties. While the 2013 movie has faded from the big screen, the appeal of retro is as strong as ever.
Capitalizing at the C-Store Level: Classic is back. Hostess showed us how subliminally we still have a soft spot in our hearts for childhood favorites. It’s time to spotlight many of those classic, comfort foodservice items (prepared or packaged) customers may not know they’ve missed or be yearning. In New York, Momofuku milk bar offers items fitting both these classifications. In a packaged state, the store’s individual sized, grab-and-go bottles of cereal milk taste just like the bottom of a bowl of Fruity Pebbles. (Be honest: As a kid you couldn’t wait to finish the cereal, pick up the bowl and drink leftover the sweet substance.) In a prepared form, this cereal milk is also frozen and offered as a soft-serve ice cream. I’ve had both, and I’m not ashamed to admit it happened during the same visit! A final note: Even for those too young to have experienced many of these the first time around, they still have an appreciation for things that can be classified as retro.
No. 3: The History Addiction
Next time you’re sitting around with absolutely nothing to do, check out viewership statistics for The History Channel, or History, as it’s been known since a change to a single hip name in 2008. (It worked for Cher, Madonna and Shamu, so why not?) I really don’t want to spout specifics here, but let’s just say that in a typical reporting period for the channel, you’re probably going to see increases in nearly every key demographic.
Why? Historically the channel was a go-to for background insights on significant events. While it’s important to know where we came from and why, many would also label this boring (my personal definition as a restless 16-year-old in state history class). Now fast-forward to 2013. What you find is a channel thriving with shows such as “Pawn Stars.” It’s generating this strong appeal because of the interesting way backstories are being told.
Heck, even when History airs something related to a specific historical event, the channel is doing it in a manner that captures the audience’s attention and tells the story in a captivating manner.
Capitalizing at the C-Store Level: Ingredient characteristics, product sourcing details, anniversaries tied to key employees or the concept, foodservice menu items, or social and cultural events all offer the opportunity to tie in to background stories.
These cultural insights can set the stage for narratives that illustrate competitive differentiation and justify price points that protect fair profit margins. They can also be partnered with limited-time offers in which a price value is extended to customers. The narrative of this deal can create a time frame around the special pricing, thus protecting the long-term brand-pricing image of the concept.
No. 4: NYC Adult Playground
Located in Macombs Dam Park in the Bronx, the $200,000 playground features 15 pieces of equipment designed to make exercising fun for grownups. One of the most popular is a pair of metal seats that rise and fall with the push of foot pedals. The city would like to build as many as 24 more of these parks across all five boroughs by the end of 2014. The reason? People have short- and long-term personal bucket lists, and successful completion requires being physically, mentally and nutritionally prepared. So it’s no surprise companies are offering consumers solutions that align with their personal quality-of-life requirements.
Capitalizing at the C-Store Level: Historically, consumers’ definitions of quality of life focused primarily on nutritional characteristics such as calories, fat or sodium. Today two more general interpretations have gone mainstream. Online restaurant ordering service GrubHub recently reported that takeout orders containing gluten-free items grew by nearly 60% from April 2012 to May 2013. Accommodating intolerances such as these and a growing number of allergies are a second quality-of-life definition. Finally, consumers seek items that just let them have the energy to accomplish what’s important throughout the course of a normal 24 hours. Successful c-store foodservice programs should consider addressing all three definitions based on their current and desired customer need profiles. Where will consumers perceptually give you credit? It may be focusing on specific ingredients used in various specialty hot and cold beverages that increase the energy levels of people on the go. Perhaps baked goods can incorporate ancient grains such as quinoa or millet that are not only perceived as low fat in nature, but can often be produced gluten-free. Focus the marketing message on how these specific foodservice product elements will integrate into your targeted customers’ average days and assist in their ability to accomplish what needs to be done.
No. 5: Packed Comic-Book Store
Do you remember those exciting radio dramas of yesterday? (OK, me neither.) But if you did, then one of the things that made those serials so popular was the way they often had a running theme, with one episode building on the next. It’s the same way in today’s comic world. Go pick up any superhero series. The cliffhanger of one episode has a fanatical group of fans clamoring around the comic-book store waiting for the next one to arrive. People are drawn to common themes with ongoing, unexpected plot twists.
Capitalizing at the C-Store Level: Could there be a better foundation for your social media dialogue? Core elements of the concept create the common theme of messages, and unexpected offerings from time to time will keep your customers engaged, in the know and returning.
No. 6: On Location
I was recently in Hoboken, N.J. In case that city doesn’t ring a bell, it’s the home of Carlo’s Bakery, or the “Cake Boss,” as it’s affectionately known on TV. There was a three-hour wait to get inside the establishment. I’ve also been to The Thurman Café in Columbus, Ohio, which was featured on “Man vs. Food” a few years ago. I spoke with the manager during my lunch and he indicated the increase in business since the restaurant and its unique burger (the size of a Volkswagen) were featured on the show has been nothing short of phenomenal. People love unique. They want to physically stand and experience where those achieving cultural differentiation on television have gone through their paces. Even 30 years after the original “Dallas” TV series went off the air, as I drive by Southfork Ranch near my home in Dallas, tourists flock to look at the house they saw during the show.
Capitalizing at the C-Store Level: What makes a visit to your establishment unique? Contemporary communication tools such as Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter and Facebook make it easy and inexpensive to build and communicate why your c-store is a rock star that must be visited to experience. At the same time, the growing returns many concepts are experiencing with old-school local marketing means traditional engagement avenues such as the local news, morning talk shows or radio can also help you develop a persona people want to experience. Do a white-space analysis and identify your true strategic differentiation. Then communicate it in a socially relevant manner.
No. 7: Cross-Training Life
In 2012, Stand Up MN and Streaming Studios teamed up with the Maple Grove Triathlon in Minnesota to create a truly unique cross-training experience. Participants began with 30 minutes of vigorous paddle-boarding on the Mississippi River, then connected to anchors and cranked up an intense Pilates workout right there on the water. The overriding objective was enhanced fitness (mine would be not getting seasick), but participants achieved this goal by piecing together a variety of little activities to get there.
Millennials are strong proponents of this philosophy. In the workplace, the tough working situation and their need to generate income has led to an employment strategy that often means engaging in small amounts of work here and there, often in unrelated fields. MTV has dubbed this activity “sidetrepreneurism.” This whole idea of taking a little here and a little there and creating a desired outcome is a mindset they’re applying to multiple aspects of daily life.
Capitalizing at the C-Store Level: Create a marketing message that assures consumers the concept’s foodservice program has the ability to successfully integrate with their lifestyles. The “daily life” cross-training mindset many of these individuals possess is appealed to by offering a variety of customizable bundling options and perhaps small-plate selections that can be combined to achieve overall meal solution objectives. This might mean pairing sweet and savory items (satisfying multiple taste buds), a breakfast item for now and a lunch item for later (one stop before work and two day-parts satisfied), or healthy and indulgent selections sharing the same proverbial plate (satisfying a balanced-meal mindset).
No. 8: Open Floor Plans Are Hot
When people were asked to look at pictures of a rolling savannah and a vine-cluttered jungle and then choose one to live in, almost every respondent opted for the wide-open environment. One of the most deeply rooted explanations for this can be traced back to our earliest years of existence. Cluttered spaces such as forests made it very difficult to spot predators. In an open field, potentially harmful or stressful situations immediately presented themselves. Humans could quickly identify the best course of action.
Today, watch any renovation show on TV and one improvement you’re sure to see is folks creating open designs. They claim it just “makes them feel at ease.” Everyday life offers plenty of opportunities for blindsiding and stress. Everyone wants to relax. When our predecessors felt safe from predators or conflict, it triggered a biochemical reaction in the brain that put them at ease. That’s why they tended to live on the edge of the jungle rather than in it. They could carefully venture in for hunting, but then quickly retreat. Today those deep-seated responses still exist. Open puts us at ease.
Capitalizing at the C-Store Level: The year 2014 promises to be no less stressful than the recent past. Customers who feel comfortable and calm inside the four walls of your establishment stand a greater chance of returning. If one of your concept’s primary goals is to increase foodservice sales, seriously consider the sight lines customers will experience as they enter your c-store and move toward their anticipated food and beverage purchases. Will their perceptions equate to a jungle scenario where unexpected opportunities for time delays exist? Much like our forefathers being eaten by a gnarly tiger, that’s bad. Create physical layouts that trigger open prairie biochemical responses instead. I guarantee you guest satisfaction and overall in-store experience scores will increase.
The Final Word
By now you have to be wondering when I’m going to quit typing. Fear not. I will humbly offer two specific suggestions about how to incorporate everything I’ve mentioned here and then call it a day. First, consider “cross-trending.” In other words, employ multiple trends I’ve discussed here simultaneously. I’ve witnessed many concepts use this strategy and enjoy impressive increases in overall traffic, sales and profitability. Second, understand not every trend is right for every concept. One of the core elements all winning foodservice concepts embrace is the ability to recognize that incorporating a trend merely because it’s a trend can be a long-term recipe for disaster. Understand your core concept positioning and then incorporate a trend only if it supports that.
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