And a meatball shall lead them… Yes, I have to admit that the top marketing strategy that I’ve seen employed over the last few months comes from Nonni’s Italian Eatery in downtown Concord, an establishment that can truly answer the age old question, “Where’s the beef?”
You see, for the past few weeks, Nonni’s has featured an outdoor sign that advertises a November 1st Guiness World Records attempt in the “World’s Largest Meatball” category (http://worldslargestmeatball.com/). The existing champion meatball, weighing in at 198.6 pounds, was cooked up on September 24th as part of ABC Television’s Jimmy Kimmel Show and bested a previous attempt fashioned as a promotion for the Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs film.
When asked about the journey to shatter Kimmel’s record, Nonni’s Owner and Chef Matthew Mitnitsky said, “This is no small feat.” It seems that Guinness World Records is very specific about the requirements. First of all, the giant meatball must be completely edible; it must also maintain the classic ingredients that make up a traditional meatball; the recipe must be submitted in both pounds and metric conversions; lastly, the final weigh-in must be performed by state approved “weights & measures” personnel in order to ensure accuracy.
Well, Nonni’s certainly faces a daunting task, but it has already proven itself a champion in the world of creative marketing. How many times do you receive special offers from restaurants offering half price specials or free appetizers during slow business days? You can keep counting….I’ll wait. Ok, now how many times does an eatery actually take their marketing efforts one step further to create a promotion that will elicit media attention and set it apart from all similar restaurants? THIS IS GENIUS FOLKS.
With a touch of creativity, a generous helping of oregano and pounds and pounds of meat, Nonni’s has fashioned a public relations strategy that is generating positive buzz throughout the state. In addition to the aforementioned Guiness World Records attempt, there will also be a “Meatball Challenge” where guests will test their appetites and stomach lining in consuming as many meatballs as possible in a 15 minute period, a “Meatball Ladle Run” and a “Mama Mia Spicy Meatball Challenge,” which promises to be a fiery encounter between man and meatball. Best of all, the, for lack of a better term, Meatball Colossus, will be donated to the Friendly Kitchen in Concord, a great community-minded touch to an event branded as “Family Day.”
What’s interesting about this promotion is that it can be applied to almost any industry. With very little money and the power of imagination, companies throughout the Granite State can create happenings that generate earned media, attract new customers and lead to increased sales. It’s the type of marketing that tells your customers, “We’re different from the competition. We’re exciting and cutting edge. We value your business so we’re going to go the extra mile to elicit your support.”
So congrats to Nonni’s and best wishes as you attempt to capture top honors on behalf of the Granite State. Canadian philosopher and author Marshall McLuhan enlightened the world in 1964 when he opined that “the medium is the message.” I’m here to tell Mr. McLuhan that in 2009, the rules of the game have changed and thanks to innovative businesses like Nonni’s, the “meatball is the message.”
Steve Boucher, a voracious meatball eater and fan of Nonni’s, is the Communications & Legislative Director at the New Hampshire Division of Economic Development.
You can also visit him on the “No Bull Business Blog” at blog.nheconomy.com, sign up for our Twitter feed at http://twitter.com/Nobullblog or check out No Bull TV at http://www.youtube.com/user/nobulltv.
