Mrs. Lovett’s Pie Shop recently received a visit from a professional marketing consultant, who offered unsolicited advice about how to improve business. The consultant was surprised by an unusual approach – Lovett’s manner of advertising her pies, namely through a song about how terrible the pies were. The song was catchy, but its content was seen as detrimental to business due to its negative depiction of the products being sold.
The marketing consultant’s first, perhaps most important, advice was to stop the negative song as it was seen as a “major faux pas” in the food service business. He suggested that, instead of brutally honest descriptions of the pies, the truth be ‘massaged’ more. Adopting words like ‘flavorful shortening’ instead of ‘lard’ and ‘moist and flaky’ instead of ‘greasy and gritty’ was one of consultant’s recommendations.
Moreover, they saw potential in emphasizing that Lovett’s pies contain no cats – something the proprietor had pointed out to them. They advised highlighting the 0% feline ingredient factor in the shop’s marketing messages, possibly even on a sign out front.
The consultant also raised the subject of possibly implementing a smear campaign against Mrs. Mooney’s Pie Shoppe as a way to boost Mrs. Lovett’s business if the decline in customers continued. Finally, they suggested considering renting out the extra room upstairs for additional revenue.
Throughout the consultation, it was clear that issues like ingredient shortage and outside disturbances were key challenges for Mrs. Lovett’s Pie Shop, but the consultant remained hopeful that creative marketing can help navigate the obstacles.
Source: A Marketing Consultant Visits Mrs. Lovett’s Pie Shop.
