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Buffets, Inc. Names Philip Friedman And Warren Ellish To Board Of Directors With Focus On Brand Turnaround
11 years ago
EAGAN, Minn., Dec. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Buffets, Inc. has appointed seasoned restaurant executive Philip Friedman and highly accomplished marketing executive F. Warren Ellish to its Board of Directors, thereby completing the new seven-member board of directors formed after the company emerged from bankruptcy. Both executives possess over 30 years of restaurant industry experience and each has held leadership positions at growth and turnaround brands in the restaurant and hospitality industries. The appointments are effective immediately.
“These are true leaders with proven track records of success,” said Rob Webster, Chairman of the Board of Buffets, Inc. “Both Warren and Phil have the practical knowledge of what it takes to turn around and grow a brand, and they understand the need for strong corporate governance. We are pleased to add them to our board of directors, and are excited for the future of our organization with their support and expertise.”
Philip Friedman
Philip Friedman currently serves as Chairman and CEO of Salsarita’s Fresh Cantina, an 85-location casual Mexican restaurant chain he acquired in 2011, and as President of P. Friedman & Associates, Inc., a strategic planning and management consulting company he founded in 1986. Friedman previously served as Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and President of McAlister’s Corporation, a quick casual concept he acquired along with a group of investors in 1999. During his tenure, McAlister’s grew from 27 to 300 restaurants in 22 states. In 2005, Friedman led the successful sale of McAlister’s Corporation to Roark Capital Group.
Friedman was awarded Nation’s Restaurant News’ 2009 Golden Chain Award honoree for his success with McAlister’s and The International Foodservice Manufacturers’ Association’s Silver Plate award for his enduring and outstanding achievements in the Chain Restaurant Full Service category. He was also honored by the National Restaurant Association (NRA) as a Cornerstone Humanitarianfor leading McAlister’s in outstanding community involvement. He received an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School, as well as a MA in Political Science and a BA in History from the University of Connecticut. Friedman serves on the Board of Directors for Diversified Restaurants, Boudin Bakeries & Restaurants and Silver Diner Corporation as well as on the boards of the National and Mississippi Restaurant Associations.
“Phil will help us deliver on our brand vision of offering real food and real choices, while creating real connections with our guests,” said Anthony Wedo, Buffets, Inc. Chief Executive Officer.
F. Warren Ellish
F. Warren Ellish is a senior marketing executive with extensive experience in consumer products, restaurants and retailing. Ellish has been responsible for successfully positioning hundreds of well-known brands and has a track record of delivering outsized returns in competitive industries. In 1995, Ellish founded his own marketing consulting company, Ellish Marketing Group LLC, and for the past 17 years has been advising the senior leadership of numerous leading brands and companies from a strategic marketing perspective. Prior to forming Ellish Marketing Group, he served as a founding partner and Vice President of Marketing for Boston Chicken, Inc. (Boston Market), where he helped create a new brand in the “home meal replacement” retail category. Ellish also served as Vice President of Marketing and an executive committee member for Red Lobster Restaurants (Darden), Vice President of Marketing for Luzianne Blue Plate Foods, and other senior marketing positions with Burger King Corporation, Johnson & Johnson and PepsiCo. Ellish was also named to Advertising Age’s “Marketing 100 – The Superstars of US Marketing.”
Ellish received both his BS and MBA from Cornell University, where he currently serves as a member of the marketing faculty at the SC Johnson Graduate School of Management.
“I have known Warren for 20 years and have seen his track record of repeated successes first hand,” Wedo said. “He has helped launch start ups and driven brand turnarounds. I know that his breadth of experience will be extremely helpful as we move this brand forward.”
Friedman and Ellish will serve alongside current 2012 Buffets, Inc. Board Members: Chairman Rob Webster, CEO Anthony Wedo, David Merritt, Todd Brown and Santino Blumetti.
About Buffets, Inc.
Buffets, Inc., the nation’s largest steak-buffet restaurant company, currently operates 347 restaurants in 35 states, comprised of 337 steak-buffet restaurants and 10 Tahoe Joe’s Famous Steakhouse restaurants. The restaurants are principally operated under the Old Country Buffet®, HomeTown® Buffet, Ryan’s® and Fire® Mountain brands. Buffets employs approximately 18,000 team members and serves approximately 100 million customers annually. For more information about Buffets, Inc., visit online at www.Buffet.com.
NBC News: Chick-fil-A out of the fryer, into the fire with Ellish Marketing Group president and CEO, Warren Ellish
11 years ago
By Martha C. White
Chick-fil-A is playing a high-stakes game of chicken that has nothing to do with its sandwiches.
President Dan Cathy’s public stance on gay marriage kicked off a firestorm that could hurt its sales and growth prospects, although restaurant analysts say support from the religious right in core markets could make the overall business impact a wash. But to sustain this uneasy equilibrium, the company has to avoid saying or doing anything to further inflame two opposing groups of consumers.
The Atlanta-based food chain is fending off accusations of hostility to the LGBT community following Cathy’s comments in support of traditional marriage and the “biblical definition” of families.
A local NBC affiliate reported that the company’s traditional grand-opening campout for fans in Laguna Hills, Calif., was scrapped in anticipation of a protest, and numerous groups are promoting a same-sex “kiss-in” planned for next week at Chick-fil-A locations around the country.
Government officials in Boston and Chicago said the company could take its business elsewhere. Philadelphia Councilman James F. Kenney told Cathy in a letter, “So, please take a hike and take your intolerance with you.” And Muppet creator Jim Henson’s company said it wouldn’t partner with the company on toys for kids’ meals in the future.
Then came the backlash to the backlash: A second elected official in Chicago challenged the push to keep the company from opening a new restaurant there, Republican politicians Mike Huckabee and Rick Santorum voiced their support for the company, and supporters rallied around the idea of a “Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day.”
On Friday, New York City’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg weighed in, saying that it’s “none of the government’s business.”
A few days after Cathy’s statements became public, Chick-fil-A issued a statement saying, “Going forward, our intent is to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena.”
That would be wise, said Tim Calkins, professor of marketing at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
The emergence of two strong, polarized public responses puts the company in a tough spot, he said. “There are people who strongly support their position, which means the company can’t backpedal too much,” he said. “They could risk turning off a significant number of customers” with expressions of solidarity for either camp.”
“I’m not sure they should be trying to make one customer group happy over another,” said Eric Giandelone, director of food service research at Mintel. “From a food perspective, [they should] try and bring in as many customers as they can.”
Analysts are divided on to what extent this controversy will affect the company’s bottom line. “I don’t think it’s going to make much of a difference in the long term,” Giandelone said. “They’re almost kind of netting each other out.”
This effect isn’t going to be homogenous, though; when the dust has settled, there could be a much sharper delineation between which markets are friendly to Chick-fil-A and which aren’t. This appears to be happening already: According to a YouGov BrandIndex survey, the chain’s reputation among consumers fell sharply in nearly all regions of the country following Cathy’s remarks. The exception was the Midwest, where its score climbed higher for a brief period of time, then returned to its previous position.
In markets like the Bible Belt, where the company has its roots, “It will probably strengthen their brand and strengthen their sales,” said Warren Ellish, president and CEO of Ellish Marketing Group, LLC. “Communities keeping them out will obviously hurt them.”
Ellish suggested that the company might just walk away from places where it receives a chilly reception. “As a privately held company, they have the right to do that,” he said.
“They’ve been willing to give up one of seven days worth of sales,” he said, referring to the chain’s rule of keeping all its restaurants closed on Sundays. He added that executives might say, in effect, “If we miss a few markets where the brand’s not welcome, we’re no worse.”
Your Restaruant As a Brand: Interview on Branding and Brand Positioning with Warren Ellish on Foodservice Radio, the new streaming 24-hour internet radio station programmed for restaurant and food service operators launched at the National Restaurant Show.
11 years ago
Creating a brand around your restaurant has many benefits. A clear, concise brand statement can drive marketing, development and even operational activities. In a Foodservice Radio interview, Warren Ellish, Senior Lecturer at Cornell University and CEO of Ellish Marketing Group talks about how you can turn your restaurant – large or small – into a world class brand.
To listen to the complete interview visit Food Service Radio or at iTunes.
Excerpts from the interview:
There are many misconceptions about branding among food service operators. “Most people think of a brand as mark,” says Ellish. “It is not a mark, a brand leaves a mark. What is really interesting is that restaurant customers don’t really care about a brand name, logo or tag line. What they really care about is who your brand is, what it stands for, what your brand offers, and very importantly, why your brand is different.”
“Brand positioning is the way anyone wants the consumer to think about their product or service relative to competing brands,” Ellish adds. “It is the most basic of all strategic statements. It provide the blueprint for all the marketing and development of any brand and it focuses the efforts of all those involved in brand activities. It states the reason for a brand’s existence.”
There are “three questions that will help people easily determine if their brand is strategically positioned and if their message is being clearly communicated,” says Ellish. “They are ‘What business is your brand in; what is the target market for your brand; and what is the point of difference for your brand?’”
Ellish suggests putting the answers to those questions together into a simple brand positioning statement, “To (your market target), (your brand) is the brand of (your competitive set) that offers (your point of difference).”
This exercise often points out the weaknesses in the current brand positioning. “What’s really interesting is when I do this exercise, whether it is with a small entrepreneurial group or a very large corporate environment, you find significant inconsistencies in the answers. Most members of the team list points of similarity and not points of difference,” says Ellish. “Make sure your reason for being is exclusive and unique, and make sure using your brand becomes a true experience for your guests.”
Defining your brand positioning also helps with social media. It helps your customers remember exactly what you want them to know about your brand. Those customers will in turn communicate that message to others.
When it comes to branding, “The little guy has as much opportunity as the big guy,” Ellish concludes. “All they have to do is make sure they go through and position their brand and make sure that have a preemptive, ownable and defendable point of difference. If they don’t, then there is no reason for anyone to become a loyal follower and an advocate of their brand.”
For more information or to contact Mr. Ellish, visit www.ellishmarketing.com or call 303-762-0360.
Don’t Let A Point Of Similarity Become Your Point Of Difference
11 years ago
Successfully identifying and securing a powerful brand positioning is of critical importance to every brand. It is helpful to anyone who wants to influence other people. Whether you are promoting a product, a service, a cause, a candidate, an organization, an institution or even yourself and your own career. Positioning will aid in getting your desired message across to the people you want to reach and make an impression that lasts.
One of the critical steps in developing a powerful brand positioning is to identify your brands point of difference – – the specific consumer benefit which you want consumers to associate most readily with your product or service. What does your brand do that no one else’s brand does as well and that your target cares about?
When defining your brands point of difference, don’t let a point of similarity become your point of difference. So often I see this.
When speaking recently to industry audiences on branding and brand positioning (National Restaurant Association Show, International Franchise Association National Convention and Entrepreneurs’ Organization Global Leadership Conference) or to the executive teams of clients, I ask three short questions: How many of your grew up wanting to be average? Or just like everyone else? Or of good quality? Rarely do I see any hands or much of a positive response. However, many brand leaders are perfectly OK about making their brands just like this – – average, just like everyone else and good.
Many of the items that are an integral part of your product/service but are not preemptive, ownable and defendable become points of entry into your competitive set and are nothing more than points of similarity. Yes, they are all important to your product or service and in many cases you must deliver on these flawlessly just to be in business. But this is not what sets you apart, not a reason a customer should or will choose to use your brand over competitor brands, and most definitely this is not a reason for them to ever become a brand advocate.
For more information on how to quickly and affordably position and brand your business to succeed in today’s competitive marketplace, visit www.ellishmarketing.com, or reach Warren directly at 303-762-0360 or moc.gnitekramhsillenull@hsille.nerraw.
Cornell Johnson Senior Lecturer Provides Branding Expertise to Attendees of Annual National Restaurant Association Show
11 years ago
Warren Ellish explores “the three critical steps” of brand positioning with restaurant industry conference attendees today, at the 2012 National Restaurant Association (NRA) Show. Cornell University’s Johnson Senior Lecturer of Marketing, Warren Ellish, President and CEO of the Ellish Marketing Group, presented a 90-minute session on brand positioning to restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, franchisees, and culinary professionals, among other restaurant industry conference attendees.
An expert on brand positioning, Ellish, ‘77, MBA ‘78, has more than 30 years of client and consulting experience. His his talk, “Three Steps to Positioning Your Restaurant into a World-Class Brand,” detailed the importance of positioning a brand through “points of difference” and aligning all other brand aspects behind its positioning.
As the National Restaurant Association forecasts a record-high $600 billion in sales for 2012, restaurants are increasingly seeking to leverage increased growth and augment their brands.
During his sold-out presentation, Ellish explained the elements of a positioning statement—a brief description of what a business does and how it does it differently and better than its competitors. He encouraged audience members to apply this to their own restaurants or businesses and to reflect on what their unique differentiators may be.
Part of Ellish’s educational session also included a simple test to help participants determine if their brands are strategically positioned and how they can analyze the results to strengthen their brands.
“Without a concise brand positioning statement with a competitive ‘point of difference’ and complete management alignment behind that positioning, it will be difficult to communicate a clear and meaningful message about your brand,” Ellish noted in a branding document provided to session attendees.
Illuminating key brand positioning opportunities for attendees, Ellish drew on his own restaurant and packaged goods marketing experience. Ellish was a founding partner and VP of Marketing for Boston Chicken, where he was a member of the core start-up executive team and led the brand through its conversion to Boston Market.
Ellish brings his experience to the MBA classroom at S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, teaching in the Strategic Marketing Immersion program and product management class. He founded and hosts the Marketing Executive One-On-One Coaching Program, now in its fifth year. At this annual event, top-level marketing executives spend two days at Johnson, meeting with and coaching MBA students preparing for careers in marketing.
Warren Ellish to Address 2012 National Restaurant Show
12 years ago
Attendees at the 2012 National Restaurant Show in Chicago will have the opportunity to hear Warren Ellish, President and CEO of Ellish Marketing Group and Senior Lecturer at Cornell University’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management present “The Three Critical Steps to Positioning Your Brand Into a World Class Brand” on Monday afternoon May 7th at 2PM in room S403A of McCormick Center. Warren will be following David Novack, Chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands, talking on “Taking People with You”.
Mr. Ellish is a well-respected lecturer, speaker and expert on the topic of brand positioning and restaurant marketing, has held executive positions with Boston Market, Darden Restaurants, Burger King and PepsiCo, and has been responsible for the positioning for hundreds of well-known international, domestic, regional and local restaurant and franchise brands. He will share his winning approach in this engaging session, illustrate what positioning is, why it is important and how to determine the optimum brand positioning for your restaurant brand using real-life cases. You will leave with tools to immediately bring additional focus to your organization’s initiatives and allow you to strategically communicate your brand’s message, making an impression that lasts.
For a complete schedule of featured NRA show speakers, visit http://show.restaurant.org/nra12/public/Calendar.aspx?SuperTrackId=&TrackId=&AssociationId=&DateId=&FormatId=&DurationId=&SpeakerId=&SessionTypeId=&SubExpoId=&Keyword=&&SearchEvent=&View=Calendar
To register for the NRA show visit http://www.restaurant.org/show/register.cfm
Warren Ellish 2012 Center for Hospitality Research Brand Mangement Roundtable Participant
12 years ago
The 2012 Cornell Brand Management Roundtable presented by the Cornell Hotel School Center for Hospitality Research, sponsored by Hilton Worldwide and lead by Professor Chekitan Dev, is by invitation only, and took place on Monday, April 2nd, and Tuesday, April 3rd, on the Cornell University campus.
Af few of the featured topics and session provocateurs included: Brand Champions-Insights from the Best Global Brands (Jezz Frampton, Group CEO Interbrand); Brand Innovation-New Brand Development (Christian Hempell, VP New Business Development and Delivery, IHG); and Digital Branding-Social+Search+Mobile (Jezz Frampton, Group CEO Interbrand).
The Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) roundtables provide an opportunity for a small number (approximately 25) of invited senior-level executives and educators, Cornell faculty members, and scholars affiliated with CHR to share experiences and exchange ideas. Roundtable events are divided into several focused sessions. Each session typically begins with a short presentation or guiding question offered by the moderator. After initial remarks, the conversation is then open for lively discussion. Given the relatively small number of attendees, all participants have ample opportunity to ask questions and express their views. Cornell School of Hotel Administration faculty members and students often observe the roundtable discussions and interact with the invited attendees during session breaks.
Warren Ellish Delivers Keynote Address to Open 13th Annual Ben E. Keith Market Place Food Show
12 years ago
The 2012 Ben E. Keith Market Place Food Show drew the largest crowd for a keynote address in the company’s history. Keynote speaker, Warren Ellish, provided the attending restaurant and hotel operators with new tools to have an immediate impact on building their local businesses into world class brands.
Garcia’s Kitchen, a Albuquerque tradition since 1975 with seven area locations, was the winner of the keynote door prize. The Garcia family and members of the management team received an afternoon of branding and marketing consulting with the keynote speaker, Warren Ellish, President and CEO of Ellish Marketing Group and Senior Lecturer at Cornell University’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management.
The 2012 New Mexico ProStart competition, in conjunction with the New Mexico Restaurant Association, also took place at the Market Place Food show. The competition attracts top high school students from around New Mexico who are enrolled in the ProStart Program at their schools. These students have proven their skill and commitment to the hospitality industry through vigorous coursework and on-the-job training. First place teams move on to compete at the National ProStart Invitational. The teams did a great job showcasing their talents.