Reinventing a reputation

As a professional in media industry analysis I found the series ‘Big Chef Little Chef’ intriguing. It made compulsive viewing for anyone involved in public relations and marketing as the organization sought to reinvent their brand. Heston Blumenthal was enlisted for his “blue sky thinking” and he went to work at recreating good quality traditional dishes for the British institution.

What made it interesting was the battle for reputation between Heston and Little Chef; ironically Heston feared that the project may have been a publicity stunt for the ailing brand, whilst his own restaurant featured very heavily in the show. It was frustrating to see that they didn't seek feedback from their existing customers, which set things back as the first attempts failed to impress. Fortunately they got it right in the end and the opening night was a huge success; the team were transformed in terms of motivation. What remains to be seen is how much profit they will make in light of the credit crunch, particularly as the focus has shifted from value, to quality.

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