Where Art, Marketing, and Branding Join Together for Brunch.

Easter Sunday I found myself enjoying a delicious brunch with a good friend at Cafe LaLo in NYC. As we left I saw an invitation to take a pack of matches with the Cafe’s name and artwork displayed on the packaging.

This little find lead to a discussion about the new challenges facing brands in the modern world of consumerism where there is an abundance of messages being shot in every touch point. Strategic media planning is fundamental in any brand strategy and can lead to higher conversions with consumers.

Effective branding should inspire, invoke change, and support consumer goals and aspirations.

The increase of technology has lead to extreme fragmentation with traditional demographics. The challenge for marketers and advertisers is finding ways to effectively reach these niche demographics. Some have not caught up with the trend of strategic planning and only look to increase the amount of eyeballs on their brand leading to less effective branding.

This find, at Cafe LaLo, exemplifies the essence of strategic branding. They have found a way of being included in their guest’s lives well past the 40 minute brunch visit. They allow the guest to make the decision to take a match box and put it in their pocket to carry around with them. They could have a picked a regular white matchbook but invested budget into having a beautiful piece of art work that captures the restaurant’s essence and feeling. The image I took above, captures a part of a story, an experience that now becomes a shareable memory for social media. Having invested part of their marketing budget into something so picturesque was brilliant and will do well to bring repeat guests as well as being pushed through media in a multitude of different social channels.

This example of strategic branding also features the trust that is formed between a brand and its consumers. By taking this pack of matches, it signifies an integration of a brand with culture and consumer life. They have become relevant as a brand by inviting guests to take a little piece of LaLo with them along their journey through the concrete jungle of New York City.

Well done Cafe LaLo. But this concept can be seen in countless brands across industries. Companies like Starbucks, Stella Artois, and Hulu.