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Slogans: Good, Bad and the Ugly

Posted on by Brian Lee

Slogans can either be your best friend or your worst enemy. In this case, the latter: As part of Budweiser’s #UpforWhatever campaign, Bud Light recently released the following slogan on their bottle: “The perfect beer for removing ‘no’ from your vocabulary for the night.”

It didn’t take long before others began pointing out how the slogan could lead to endorsing a rape culture.

Even though Anheuser-Busch apologized for the slogan, discontinued the bottle and stated it would never condone such behavior, it begs the question as to how the slogan even got approved in the first place.

Although the #UpforWhatever campaign is intended to encourage spontaneous fun, this isn’t the first time the #UpforWhatever campaign has come under fire. The company sent a controversial St. Patrick’s Day tweet that some felt played down sexual consent.

It doesn’t matter the size of your company–put serious thought into your slogan. Think outside the box and put yourself in the outsider’s point-of-view. How will your slogan come across?

Six mistakes bar managers make

Posted on by Brian Lee

After several years of running a dining guide in Madison, Wis., and performing PR/marketing consulting for restaurants and bars, I’ve seen a common set of mistakes that bar managers make.

  1. Not having happy hour and/or drink specials. The increase in customers (who may actually order food, too) will easily make up for the minor discount you offer on drinks.
  2. Constantly changing drink specials. Stick with your specials! You are conditioning customers to expect a certain special–that’s one of the ways you build your base of regulars. One way to make it easier: instead of naming a price ($3.50 rails), just name a discount ($1 off rails). That way you don’t have to keep changing the specials when you inevitably raise your prices. (On another note, don’t call “everyday specials” as “specials,” because if a particular drink is that price every day, then that is the regular price!)
  3. Not accepting credit cards. People buy way more drinks when they start a tab. If you’re worried about people buying one drink with a credit card, set a minimum amount. (I also know some bar managers who prefer a cash-only system to avoid paying taxes. Have fun in jail.)
  4. Not having any web presence. Are you kidding? At least start a Facebook page!
  5. Allowing bartenders too much leeway (only serving regulars, drinking too much, etc.). This has many repercussions, including making the bar unwelcoming to new customers. In other words, this is very bad for business and gives your bar a poor reputation.
  6. Not being aware of area events. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been to a bar that was understaffed (meaning, unprepared) for people coming in from a nearby event. Similarly, I’ve been to bars that didn’t know a major sporting event was on TV, and again, was understaffed.

Cabela’s Prepares for Grand Opening of Sun Prairie Store

Posted on by Brian Lee

Cabela’s Prepares for Grand Opening of Sun Prairie Store

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. (April 22, 2015) – Cabela’s will celebrate the grand opening of its new Sun Prairie, Wis., store Thursday, April 30, with a unique ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by a weekend-long celebration.

Opening day will kick off with crowd entertainment at 8 a.m. and include giveaways, trivia games, a live performance by country-music artist Tom Jackson and more. An opening ceremony hosted by Cabela’s executives will begin at 9:45 a.m. and conclude with the grand-opening ribbon being cut by an arrow shot from a bow by a local Cabela’s employee.

“Outdoor enthusiasts in and around the greater Madison area have expressed a great deal of excitement about Cabela’s opening this store. Our staff has been working and training hard to ensure every outdoorsmen and women who enters our doors has a great experience,” said Randy Breslow, the store’s general manager. “Cabela’s has a loyal customer base in Wisconsin and we can’t wait for the opportunity to serve those customers and introduce others to the unique Cabela’s experience.”

Cabela’s grand-opening festivities will continue throughout the weekend with giveaways, special guests, family activities and more. On Thursday, the first 500 customers in line, 18 years or older, will a receive gift card valued up to $500. The first 50 customers through the door Friday will receive a Cabela’s utility bag. On Saturday, the first 50 customers will receive a Cabela’s commemorative grand opening cap. And on Sunday, the first 50 customers will receive a Cabela’s tripod stool.

Customers 18 years and older can also enter to win a $1,000 Cabela’s shopping spree sponsored by Pepsi or a new GoPro HERO4 Silver action camera. Special appearances between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3 will include:

  • Benny Spies, Cabela’s Ambassador and Host of “Gun It” television series
  • Jeff Fuller, Cabela’s Pro Staff and Host of “SportingDog Adventures” television series
  • Tom Nelson, Cabela’s Ambassador and Outdoor Channel television host
  • Mark Millis, Cabela’s Ambassador and Outdoor Channel television host
  • Jim and Donna Teeny, Cabela’s Pro Staff and owners of Jim Teeny Inc.
  • Tim Andrus, Realtree Pro Staff and Host of “Rush Outdoors” television series
  • Babe Winkelman, Host of “Good Fishing” television series (Saturday only)

Additionally, Cabela’s will host a variety of activities for the entire family from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. Activities include:

  • Shoot Like A Girl – Shooting Sports for Women Interactive Trailer
  • Cabela’s – Youth BB-Gun Range
  • Parker Bows – Archery Challenge
  • Do-All Outdoors ¬¬– Pro Boat and Product Demos
  • UW-Madison Fishing Team – Casting Workshop
  • Beretta – Show Truck
  • And more

The 90,000-square-foot store is located at 1350 Cabela Drive in the Prairie Lakes Shopping Center off of Highway 151, Exit 100. It is designed to surround customers in a fun, outdoor-like experience with log construction, stonework, a large mountain replica, aquarium, indoor archery range and dozens of museum-quality wildlife displays. Additionally, it includes a deli, fudge shop, Gun Library and Bargain Cave.

To staff the new store, Cabela’s has employed more than 225 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees, most coming from Sun Prairie and the surrounding area.

Store hours for opening day are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 30. Regular store hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. For additional information, call 608-478-4100 or visit www.cabelas.com/sunprairie.

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