Above is part of the front page of an advertising insert from Sunday's Demo-zette. It's for a new restaurant here in Little Rock, BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse.
The insert tickles the taste buds by featuring photos of pretty tasty looking food. It's colorful. It pictures a group of smiling people, of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities -- we can easily imagine that they're happy because they've just eaten a delicious meal and thrown back a couple of house-brewed beverages. It promotes BJ's online services. It promotes new menu items. It has everything you'd expect to prompt you to go to BJ's.
No. It doesn't.
This ad is representative of a recent trend in marketing that drives me stark-staring nuts. The consumer is forced to search the entire ad, including fine print, to find out where the dadgummed place is located!! In this particular case, the address of BJ's is nowhere to be found.
The web page address where you may order in advance of arriving is provided, but nowhere do they tell you where to arrive.
The web page address where you may pay anytime you're ready is provided, but nowhere do they tell you where you'll be served your food.
They warn you that "[consuming] raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness," but nowhere do they tell you where you might consume those potentially tainted foodstuffs.
No phone number.
AAAGGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not a total Luddite. I obviously managed to locate BJ's website, and hence its address, by doing a simple Google search. That's not the problem.
Obviously, the ad served some of its purpose. I noticed all those things listed above about food and people and eye-catching colorfulness. That's not the point.
The problem is that I, the paying customer, was inconvenienced. I had to make an effort to research a restaurant's location so I could picture where it is in my mind instead of just seeing it in the ad. That makes me be perfectly willing to skip BJ's for now and go instead to a restaurant that cares enough about its customers' comfort to tell the customer where its fare may be consumed. There are plenty of them out there.
Also, once I started glancing over the ad, I was sucked into it, now on a mission to find out where the freakin' place IS!
Take note, Marketeers: Moogie is not pleased with your current strategy. And that's the point.
Rant over. Have a nice afternoon.
Well, if it's any consolation (and I'll assume it's NOT)... I ate and drank in a BJ's near Oxnard, CA once upon a time in the wayback. I don't remember what I had for an entree, but the beer was excellent and the company was better. Come to think on it, the company might have colored the whole experience, given I was eating and drinking with the Captain and the Department Heads (SN2 being one such DH) of the USS MASON, who were deployed to Port Hueneme for training. The wait staff gave me a pint glass at my request, which also went a ways to color the experience a bright rose pink. So there's that.
ReplyDeleteAll that said, I see yer point. I'd be a bit pissed, too.
Maybe find out company info and write?
ReplyDeleteI love BJ's beer - especially the Red - but they also have a large variety of other beers on draft. But I stumbled on the place quite by accident as I was heading for another microbrewery. The poke is yummy, as are the shrimp wraps. Ribs are good. Seems to me the wings are, too.
I've never been to a BJ's, but I'm with you on the rant.
ReplyDeleteThere's a "Locations" tab at their website:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bjsbrewhouse.com/
I may give it a try at some point, Buck, but I doubt I could match the company part!
ReplyDeleteI might send a copy of the post to the Company on its website, PH. Yeah, I Googled BJ's Brewhouse LIttle Rock, AR, the other day -- that's how I found the link. We may try it, especially with all these recommendations.
Thanks, Lou!