Best Independent Marketing Campaign

Thinking big when it comes to marketing your hotel, pub, restaurant or catering outlet doesn't have to mean breaking the bank. It certainly didn't for the winner of last year's Best Independent Marketing Campaign Catey. The Room restaurant in The Bourse Courtyard, Leeds, had a budget of just £12,000 to achieve the six objectives proprietor John Pallagi set himself when he opened the restaurant in November 2002.

Pallagi wanted to establish Room as one of the leading restaurants in Leeds within its first year of operation; to stimulate and grow awareness; to drive footfall across its target market; to communicate the brand in line with its positioning and core values of quality, trust and style; to exploit promotional opportunities, and to gain extensive media exposure.

And through a creative marketing campaign, which according to judge Hannah Bailey, chief operating officer at Chess Partnership, "fully exploited all available marketing opportunities", he managed to do just that. Initiatives included a "Room Taxi Drinkable Flyer Campaign", whereby branded mini espresso coffees were served up at Leeds city-centre train station, and a "Room Concierge Initiative", in which the city's hotel concierges earned a £1 voucher for every pre-booked customer they recommended.

Pallagi also promoted the restaurant to target audiences in Leeds. Businesses were targeted with a "Room for lunch" offer, while Yorkshire Post readers were offered 50% off lunch. An interactive website capable of taking bookings was also set up.

Despite its budget of £12,000, Room's marketing activities were so cost-effective that it spent only £9,520, but generated revenue of more than £17,000. The concierge initiative alone brought in £4,565, while the website achieved 4,500 hits in just five months. And despite never advertising, the restaurant had excellent reviews.

To enter your business for this year's Best Independent Marketing Campaign Catey, fill in the attached form (see below). Additional entry forms are available from Sarah Sutton on 020 8652 8349.

Deadline for submissions is Thursday 25 March, with judging at London's Grosvenor House hotel on Wednesday 21 April.

Judges' criteria

• Businesses enter themselves for the Best Independent Marketing Campaign award rather than being put forward by a third party.
• To qualify for the award the business must be a single-unit hotel, pub, restaurant or other catering outlet directly controlled by the owner.
• Individual outlets belonging to chains are not eligible. Individually owned hotels that are members of consortia, however, may enter.

Don't forget: All nominations in this category MUST be accompanied by a supporting statement.

Click here for further details and entry forms

Sponsored by Autograph Foodservice

Sponsor's message:

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This year the Catey's celebrate 20 years of recognising high standards in the catering and hospitality arena and Autograph Foodservice are delighted to be involved for the first time in sponsoring the Best Independent Marketing Campaign Award. In today's highly competitive marketplace change, innovation and creativity are all pre-requisites for survival and success. All organisations need strategic and tactical marketing to aid visibility and differentiate their service and products from their competitors. Using marketing affectively and incorporating various elements of the marketing mix, such as PR, direct mail or advertising all add value to any business. As a past Catey winner, we would encourage any independent catering business has developed a marketing campaign that has assisted them in achieving their business objectives to submit an entry for this award category. Winners have the opportunity to inspire through example, providing valuable insights into what results can be achieved if you are creative and have the drive and ambition to see things through to the end. The Cateys are firmly established as the industry's eminent awards and everyone at Autograph Foodservice is thrilled to be part of an event that identifies and rewards excellence.