previously on the martini shaker*
News Flash… Brand perception is crucial for ALL businesses… Film at 11.
Almost every morning on the way to work, I see this delivery van for U-Gene’s Pizza and Deli. I happened to get a quick pic on the phone today so that we can talk about brand perception.
A quick Google search yielded the link above (there’s no URL anywhere on the delivery van), and it goes on to explain how the owners established U-Gene’s because they were fed up with meager portions, low value, etc.
We get that you’re trying to appeal to the everyday nature of people by acting like you’re angry and fighting for us, but what’s with the illustration that looks like a police composite sketch? That illustration alone gives me a perception about your brand that guarantees I’ll never visit your deli.
I don’t think that it’s because I’m a designer or a marketer either. Honestly, do you think that an accountant, construction worker, cowboy, or astronaut would be more likely to grab a sandwich from a place run by someone who looks like they’d sooner shiv you in the friggin’ eye than give you a free drink refill? I highly doubt it.
Actually, it kind of looks like a pissed off Jack Kevorkian the more I look at it. Now you’re really creating a brand perception that you can build promotions on.
“FREE voluntary euthanasia with 10 sandwich purchases. Get your card punched TODAY!”
Anyway, the point is that whether you are a large or small business brand perception is crucial. Even though you think you might be clever in your marketing idea, you might want to find someone trained in helping you avoid coming off looking like a serial killer.
Jane says:
I thought the same thing the time I actually ate at a U-Gene’s (it was across the street from a hotel where I was attending a conference and I didn’t want to spend the money to eat at one of the hotel’s restaurants). The food is pretty good, but I think a lot more people would be willing to try it if they’d hired a professional illustrator early on.
Submitted 10/05/06 at 5:02 pm
paul says:
You know what’s funny? If you had referenced any other local sub joint, chances are good that I would probably not be familiar with their identity work. But I have to say that I immediately recognized and remembered U-Gene’s for all of the reasons that you mention here. Now I’m not saying that’s necessarily a good thing. I also vividly remember a business card tacked to the wall of a Chinese restaurant for a local carpet cleaning service called Soprano’s. Their tagline was “Badda-Bing, it’s Clean!” Do I remember them? Of course. Will I ever call them? Doubtful. Maybe we should orgainize a group project to help U-Gene’s. We can all submit new artwork for their identity and post it all online.
Submitted 10/10/06 at 12:58 am
Jeremy Fuksa: Creative Generalist says:
I like this idea. I say we do it.
Submitted 10/10/06 at 10:15 am
Success says:
These days there are many examples of this kind of “negative branding” going on. Sometimes this kind of negative marketing can work if the aim is to sell a product or service that stops something bad happening - but a restuarant! I often wonder who is advising these business owners - or maybe it is just a rush of blood to the head from the owners themselves.
I am all for controversial marketing and new concepts but this just doesn’t work. Don’t they know anything about psychology and the way that we think and process images?
Graham
Submitted 03/31/08 at 1:50 am