Fast Tech: Romancing the Brand

Picture the sun warming your face as you listen to waves lapping on the beach.  You look out at the water and you're amped because you see a righteous boggas wave coming in that you can't wait to ride—even if it probably means you'll end with a gnarly wipeout that sends you back to the beach.

 

Just as you're about to grab your board you hear "How may I help you?" and you realize you're not at the beach but standing in line at Malibu Subs, the newest dining venue at the University of Southern California (USC). Malibu is a place where getting a stoked egg salad made exactly the way you want it is just as important as watching the large flat panel display showing extreme surfing around the world.

 

"I like to call it eater-taining," says creator and Director Michael Gratz of the award-winning Hospitality Services Division at USC.

 

Gratz, whose formal training began in Germany, opened luxury hotels in California before joining USC in 1994.  Since his arrival, he has introduced brand name franchises on campus including Betty Crocker's Kitchen, Colombo Yogurt, Jamba Juice, Krispy Kreme, La Salsa, Rice Garden and Wolfgang Puck Express to name a few.

 

Malibu Subs, a risk that Gratz took and has spent the last two years preparing for, is the 34^th dining venue on the University Park campus at USC. It celebrates California's surfer culture while adding a healthy new twist on the traditional submarine sandwich. "Our students requested fresh and healthy, made-to-order sub sandwiches," says Donald Ranasinghe, director of operations at USC.

 

Gratz notes that "We're always looking at what is important to students today. This, of course, is a moving target with busy students who have high expectations. We have to be on the cutting edge with food that supports their lifestyle."

The evolution of Malibu Subs took many steps, the first of which involved Gratz teaming up with Porter Consulting, the company that conducted student surveys to help determine that a fresh, healthy sub shop was needed on campus. Next, steps involved designing the space, which took form with the help of architect Bob Mesher of Mesher Shing.

 

The surfer theme, which was developed by Gratz and his team at USC, is true to the lifestyle of the region and makes students feel at home, thus creating a connection with Malibu. But it wasn't until they began working with Epicure Digital Systems that their brand came to life, both visually and emotionally, through high-tech digital marketing—marketing that helped drive the brand of Malibu Subs in terms of building relationships and convincing customers they were buying a high quality product.

 

"I was intrigued with the customization that could be done with digital signage," recalls Gratz, who says they bought the signage and marketing from Epicure even before committing funds to the project, knowing that they wanted to do something with digital menu boards.

 

"We looked at avenues on how to help bring this brand to life," says Gratz. "We looked at the successful sub brands out there and realized they were lacking in terms of building a customer connection. We looked at digital signage as a way to bond with the people at USC."

 

This approach has paid off for Malibu, since the visual experience created by a multimedia presentation and digital menu board immediately captures and engages customers, seizing their interest from the beginning. Gratz says this experience helps set their establishment apart from the rest.

The surfing image that Malibu presents is a brand that identifies with its particular customer base and location. "The concept of localizing a brand is not new," says Gratz. "It's the marketing behind you that gives you that punch you need."

 

Epicure's brand identity system involves every area from menu development and design to digital signage, motion graphics and promotion, to name a few. For Malibu the message was creating a brand to be perceived as healthy, with ingredients and toppings that reflect that—not just the standard mustard and mayo. The idea was to create a unique experience for everyone who bites into a Malibu Sub.

 

"We ask the question, 'What does the menu have to accomplish?'" says Epicure president Harvey Friedman, "with everything from placement of items, types of sandwiches, names and more."

 

"The digital menu board makes an immediate connection with the customer," says Gratz. "The initial draw is the signage, which gives the atmosphere, the feeling of being a 'happening place.'"

 

People want to go to restaurants that are super busy. "Food appeal is important, but to draw people in you have to have the right marketing," says Gratz. In a visually driven food service industry, digital signage plays a role just as lighting and food display factors do.

 

Digital menu boards give operators the ability to change menu items instantly, which is costly with traditional static boards. For example, Gratz says that they'll look into adding hot sandwiches in the winter and possibly new vegetable selections in the spring, all of which will be easy to manipulate digitally.

 

At Malibu there are four digital display screens, two of which display the menu and have moving marketing messages with revenue producing promotions such as "double meat," as well as educational promotions that highlight healthy items such as guacamole.

 

The suggestive selling that flashes across the screen creates momentum. "Most people are consistent when they order," says Gratz. "Their thought process opens up when they see these messages. It's one way to branch out and offer something different and help customers think outside of what they're ordering."

 

Customers move through a line where they have a choice of ordering one of fourteen customized subs created by in-house executive chefs. Employees present choices with everything from bread and meat to cheese and dressing.  Short boards (6-inch subs) are $3.95 and Long Boards (12-inch subs) run $4.95, while chips and drinks are added on for $2.00 more.

 

The other two screens have surfing videos from around the world. Gratz's dream is to have a live Web cam on those screens where customers can watch live surfers—a way to bring Malibu to downtown Los Angeles in a real way.

 

"It's about romancing the brand," says Gratz, "visually stimulating with the screen and creating a unique sandwich."

 

Gratz believes that colleges set trends before they are accepted in the general public. "Our students are learning about making choices for themselves. They come to campus and it's our job to expose them to new choices with innovative and fun food while supporting their academic experience," says Gratz.

 

If Gratz is right, then perhaps more operators should pay attention to the success of Malibu Subs and the digital branding and marketing that brought the company to life. On opening day, they had $4,800 in sales and received instant recognition on campus with people coming back the next day to try other menu items.

 

Gratz says this first location can be looked at as a test spot, with others to roll out throughout USC. They are also considering developing merchandise and promotional items. "People will buy the brand if they are proud of it and believe it is high quality," says Gartz. "The connection to Malibu Subs can go well beyond the store."