Thanks for sharing what is an inspiring and also very tragic story.
I agree with your general point, but the examples of what a self-proclaimed strategist would have said are obviously really bad. So yes, bad strategy is... well, bad. I am interested in your take on what a good strategist would have done.
Bad strategy is common, and to many, those suggestions seem good. I'm a "brand strategy enthusiast," but I'm not trained outside of brand naming and design. I know more about brand strategy than most designers, but I’m not equipped to help clients with most of it (distribution, pricing, or segmenting). That's a major issue with the design industry. They are overconfident as brand strategists.
Having said that, Franke's only ran a few small newspaper ads each week, but I’d advertise a lot more. They didn’t invest in TV, radio, or OOH, and missed key category entry points in the ads they did run. For example, cafeterias offer fast service with homemade food, which appealed to families with small kids. They also had a unique mix of dishes that made it a go-to spot when you wanted something different.
They did a lot of memorable things and had memorable locations—balloons, free food for kids, a clown for a while, a koi pond at an earlier location, medieval unicorn wallpaper at another, and a ceiling that looked like the night sky with accurate constellations at their final location (my uncle was really into astronomy). These things created nostalgia for families who ate there as kids. That's why many of them brought their own children. Yet, they didn't lean into this with any advertising. Just "good food" as a message over and over. But food quality wasn't the draw for most (it was ok, but not amazing).
As a teenager working there for four years, I also never saw peers hanging out without parents or grandparents (I was acutely aware of this being a teenager wanting to interact with beautiful girls my age lol). I’d try to attract more 18-35-year-olds, but I don’t know exactly how. Franke's did well with young families and retirees, but not with others. They did have a location in a large bank building downtown for 40 years which was the only location with a cafeteria and a spot right next to it that served sandwiches, burgers, and breakfast. Lots of 18-35 year olds who worked in that building at there (it was the only restaurant in a skyscraper). I'm curious if venturing out again like that would have been beneficial. Keeping the cafeterias but adding something new.
One of the worst decisions they made was renting beginning in the 70s, not owning, their spaces. Rent skyrocketed in the early 2000s, and there was nothing they could do, which is why my father left. Much of business success/failure is about factors beyond branding.
As a designer, I would have left the logo and name alone. If they came to me looking to "rebrand," I would have refused the project. Design and "brand image" was not their problem.
Thanks for sharing what is an inspiring and also very tragic story.
I agree with your general point, but the examples of what a self-proclaimed strategist would have said are obviously really bad. So yes, bad strategy is... well, bad. I am interested in your take on what a good strategist would have done.
Bad strategy is common, and to many, those suggestions seem good. I'm a "brand strategy enthusiast," but I'm not trained outside of brand naming and design. I know more about brand strategy than most designers, but I’m not equipped to help clients with most of it (distribution, pricing, or segmenting). That's a major issue with the design industry. They are overconfident as brand strategists.
Having said that, Franke's only ran a few small newspaper ads each week, but I’d advertise a lot more. They didn’t invest in TV, radio, or OOH, and missed key category entry points in the ads they did run. For example, cafeterias offer fast service with homemade food, which appealed to families with small kids. They also had a unique mix of dishes that made it a go-to spot when you wanted something different.
They did a lot of memorable things and had memorable locations—balloons, free food for kids, a clown for a while, a koi pond at an earlier location, medieval unicorn wallpaper at another, and a ceiling that looked like the night sky with accurate constellations at their final location (my uncle was really into astronomy). These things created nostalgia for families who ate there as kids. That's why many of them brought their own children. Yet, they didn't lean into this with any advertising. Just "good food" as a message over and over. But food quality wasn't the draw for most (it was ok, but not amazing).
As a teenager working there for four years, I also never saw peers hanging out without parents or grandparents (I was acutely aware of this being a teenager wanting to interact with beautiful girls my age lol). I’d try to attract more 18-35-year-olds, but I don’t know exactly how. Franke's did well with young families and retirees, but not with others. They did have a location in a large bank building downtown for 40 years which was the only location with a cafeteria and a spot right next to it that served sandwiches, burgers, and breakfast. Lots of 18-35 year olds who worked in that building at there (it was the only restaurant in a skyscraper). I'm curious if venturing out again like that would have been beneficial. Keeping the cafeterias but adding something new.
One of the worst decisions they made was renting beginning in the 70s, not owning, their spaces. Rent skyrocketed in the early 2000s, and there was nothing they could do, which is why my father left. Much of business success/failure is about factors beyond branding.
As a designer, I would have left the logo and name alone. If they came to me looking to "rebrand," I would have refused the project. Design and "brand image" was not their problem.