Hotel Restaurant Marketing Challenge Requires Unique Branding
TL;DR
- A 22-room hotel and restaurant in the Philippines faces a marketing challenge where the hotel thrives but the restaurant lacks sufficient foot traffic, indicating a need to increase market awareness beyond existing hotel guests.
- The hotel's restaurant, Vicentina's Modern Restaurant and Bar, named after the husband's grandmother, is being considered for rebranding to "IHOP" with a focus on pancakes and Filipino authenticity to attract more customers.
- Conan O'Brien humorously proposes a role as a "house detective" at the hotel, involving investigative duties and a specific uniform, to enhance the guest experience and add a unique, retro element.
- The hotel's location near an industrial park with international companies presents a strategic opportunity to attract foreign employees needing temporary accommodation, driving the initial hotel development.
- The podcast guest transitioned from an arts background to business for career flexibility, highlighting a common tension between creative pursuits and perceived professional stability.
- The hotel owner's husband developed the hotel on family land due to market potential, specifically targeting business travelers from nearby international companies.
Deep Dive
The core insight of this podcast segment is that a fan, Trisha, runs a hotel and restaurant in the Philippines and seeks Conan O'Brien's assistance, not for celebrity endorsement, but for practical, albeit humorously framed, problem-solving. The implications reveal a business owner's desire for innovative marketing and operational improvements, coupled with Conan's characteristic theatrical approach to assisting, highlighting the tension between mundane business needs and comedic potential.
Trisha's situation presents a clear need for business development. Her 22-room hotel, "Bravo Tanawan," is doing well, but its accompanying restaurant, "Vicentina's Modern Restaurant and Bar," suffers from low awareness, even among hotel guests. This indicates a disconnect between the hotel's success and its integrated dining service, suggesting potential issues with restaurant visibility, branding, or an unappealing name. Trisha's proposal for Conan to act as a "house detective" or front desk attendant, while framed humorously, underscores a desire for a unique, memorable customer experience that could drive traffic to both the hotel and restaurant. The implication is that a novel approach, even one rooted in old-fashioned tropes like a "hotel dick," is being sought to overcome a common business challenge: marketing a service that is physically present but experientially unknown.
Conan's response, while playing into the comedic persona of a reluctant but theatrical helper, reveals the potential for creative solutions. His suggestions to rename the restaurant "IHOP" (International House of Pancakes) and offer a multitude of syrups, while absurd, highlight the need for a strong, easily marketable brand identity. His willingness to don a bellman's cap and work the front desk, combined with his "house detective" persona, points to the value of personality and character in hospitality. The underlying implication is that a unique, albeit eccentric, brand experience can overcome obscurity. Furthermore, Trisha's willingness to embrace these unconventional ideas suggests a receptiveness to out-of-the-box thinking, even if the execution remains to be seen. The segment implicitly suggests that the hospitality industry, particularly for smaller establishments, can benefit from leveraging unique personalities and memorable, if unconventional, branding strategies to stand out in a competitive market.
Action Items
- Audit restaurant marketing: Identify 3-5 underutilized channels (e.g., local partnerships, social media campaigns) to increase foot traffic beyond hotel guests.
- Design hotel front desk process: Define 3-5 key guest interaction points to ensure consistent, positive first impressions, regardless of staff.
- Create runbook template: Define 5 required sections (e.g., guest check-in, room service, complaint resolution) for hotel operations to prevent knowledge silos.
- Measure restaurant revenue disconnect: For 3-5 months, calculate the correlation between hotel occupancy and restaurant sales to identify marketing impact.
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"We both um run and manage a small hotel in tanauan it's it's a it's the town next to santo tomas so right now there are 22 rooms it's it's a simple small hotel well 22 rooms is a that's a that's a good size that's a lot of work i would think"
Trisha explains that she and her husband manage a 22-room hotel, indicating it is a substantial operation requiring significant effort. This highlights the scale of their business, which is more than a simple lodging.
"yes they do eat in the restaurant do they like the restaurant is it a good restaurant or do you think the restaurant could be better it's a it's definitely a good restaurant and i think we just want more people to know more about the restaurant 'cause right now i don't think they're aware that there is a restaurant there"
Trisha clarifies that hotel guests patronize their restaurant, but the primary challenge is awareness. She believes the restaurant is good but needs more visibility beyond the hotel's clientele.
"we would like to have more people come in the restaurant now be honest with me oh you think i could help yeah you think how could i help i mean you can help by like serving the people you can be a waiter yeah i thought you were going to say oh come meet conan o'brien at the restaurant use my celebrity but no you want me waiting tables or a dishwasher or a dishwasher"
Trisha directly asks Conan for help with their restaurant, specifically suggesting he could work as a waiter or dishwasher. This shows her practical approach to problem-solving, even if it involves a humorous suggestion for a celebrity.
"i mean you can help by like serving the people you can be a waiter yeah i thought you were going to say oh come meet conan o'brien at the restaurant use my celebrity but no you want me waiting tables or a dishwasher or a dishwasher okay well uh i could maybe do that my wife would say i'm not very good at washing dishes but i'd give it a go which is more than i do at home"
Conan humorously responds to Trisha's suggestion of him working in the restaurant, contrasting her practical request with his expectation of using his celebrity status. He then agrees to try, albeit with a self-deprecating remark about his dishwashing skills.
"i mean you can help by like serving the people you can be a waiter yeah i thought you were going to say oh come meet conan o'brien at the restaurant use my celebrity but no you want me waiting tables or a dishwasher or a dishwasher okay well uh i could maybe do that my wife would say i'm not very good at washing dishes but i'd give it a go which is more than i do at home"
Trisha proposes that Conan could assist by serving people as a waiter or even as a dishwasher, a suggestion Conan finds amusing given his celebrity status. He acknowledges he might try, noting his wife's opinion of his dishwashing abilities.
"i mean you can help by like serving the people you can be a waiter yeah i thought you were going to say oh come meet conan o'brien at the restaurant use my celebrity but no you want me waiting tables or a dishwasher or a dishwasher okay well uh i could maybe do that my wife would say i'm not very good at washing dishes but i'd give it a go which is more than i do at home"
Trisha suggests Conan could help by serving people as a waiter or dishwasher, a notion Conan finds humorous given his fame. He expresses willingness to try, adding a self-deprecating comment about his dishwashing skills.
Resources
External Resources
Books
- "The House Dick" by Conan O'Brien - Mentioned as the title of the podcast episode.
Websites & Online Resources
- teamcoco.com/apply - Mentioned as the submission link for listeners to talk to Conan.
- wonderfulpistachios.com - Mentioned to learn more about Wonderful Pistachios.
- alienware.com/deals - Mentioned for savings on Alienware PCs and accessories.
- teamcoco.com/callconan - Mentioned as a link for fans to talk to Conan.
- amazon.com - Mentioned for holiday shopping and finding gifts.
- t-mobile.com/travel - Mentioned for information on T-Mobile's travel benefits.
- millerlite.com/100 - Mentioned to find delivery options for Miller Lite.
- betterhelp.com/conan - Mentioned for listeners to get a discount on therapy services.
- theupsstore.com/guarantee - Mentioned for details on The UPS Store's pack and ship guarantee.
- manards.com - Mentioned to view appliance selections and weekly deals.
Podcasts & Audio
- Conan O’Brien Needs A Friend - Mentioned as the podcast where the episode is featured.
Other Resources
- Wonderful Pistachios - Mentioned as a snack with various flavors and nutritional benefits.
- Alienware PCs - Mentioned as gaming laptops with Intel Core Ultra processors.
- Alienware 32 4K QD-OLED Gaming Monitor - Mentioned as a gaming accessory.
- Twister - Mentioned as a board game with a humorous customer review.
- Amazon Five Star Theater - Mentioned as a holiday promotion featuring creative customer reviews.
- T-Mobile Magenta Status - Mentioned as a membership program with travel benefits.
- Miller Lite - Mentioned as a light beer celebrating its 50th anniversary.
- Better Help - Mentioned as a service that matches individuals with qualified therapists.
- The UPS Store Pack and Ship Guarantee - Mentioned as a service to ensure gifts arrive safely.
- Whirlpool Top Load Washer or Electric Dryer - Mentioned as appliances available at Manards on sale.
- Balut - Mentioned as a Filipino delicacy.
- Dinuguan - Mentioned as a Filipino dish made with pig's blood.