Title

A Critical Analysis: Infusion of Social Media and Traditional Media Strategies and Tactics in the Recipe for Success for Local, Main Street USA Restaurants

Author(s)

Tori Partykevich, University of Rhode IslandFollow

Major

Public Relations

Advisor

Bell, Regina

Advisor Department

Public Relations

Date

4-2015

Keywords

public relations; marketing; media; restaurants; social media

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License.

Abstract

Restaurants can benefit greatly from carefully constructed public relations efforts. A strong plan and a dedicated use of both traditional and new media can help restaurants grow their business. It can be much more difficult for local, mom & pop restaurants to gain the attention that will boost their business than for large corporate chain companies who already have a well-known name. A positive public image of a restaurant is vital to its success and public relations strategies can help this to be achieved.

A solid social media presence, community involvement, local newspaper advertisements, special offers and public events can be extremely valuable for restaurants trying to boost their business. Using these outlets to tell stories about a restaurant can be just as positive as large-scale advertisements. Public relations can be one of the most cost-efficient tools available for restaurant owners and managers to create brand awareness and ultimately increase their sales.

My goal for this project was to analyze, through the use of case studies, articles, and interviews, how local restaurants can benefit from the efforts of a public relations campaign. As a student studying public relations, I have an interest in learning about all the different aspects of the field. As someone who has worked in the restaurant industry for seven years and counting, I have an understanding and appreciation for the industry. Through this project, I hoped to bridge my knowledge and interest of public relations with my passion for the restaurant industry. By looking at case studies and interviewing professionals in the field, I was able to form an analysis on how restaurants can see real success through public relations efforts.