Bourdain Market Strategic Communications Plan - Minnie ...

Bourdain Market
Strategic Communications Plan
Prepared by: Minnie Ongsricharoenporn, Marisa Moraes, Avery Lalumandier

Title​: Eat the World: Bolstering Interest for the Opening of Bourdain Market
Bourdain Market, ​2017

Summary
Bourdain Market is an Asian market-inspired indoor food market that will feature over 100
vendors from all around the world. Because of visa issues with international vendors, the grand
opening has been pushed back to 2019. Bringing awareness to the opening of Bourdain Market
will be the main goal, especially with its prime location along the Hudson River in Chelsea. This
will be done through various social media strategies, including Snapchat filters and a Pinterest
account to promote highly visual travel and dining content. Outreach programs, including
partnerships with restaurants around New York City and incentives for customers will also be
produced. This 12-month communications strategy will ensure growing attention and interest for
Bourdain Market as well as keep audiences excited for the grand opening of Bourdain Market.

Situation Analysis
Since it was announced back in January 2014, Bourdain Market has lost much of the media
attention surrounding its opening. Because of visa issues with international vendors, the grand
opening, originally slated for 2017, has now been postponed to 2019. Along with some halts on
the project, this has created some uncertainty and reluctance in the media to talk about
Bourdain Market on their platforms.

Bringing awareness to the opening of Bourdain Market and its progress will be the main goal,
especially with its prime location along the Hudson River in Chelsea. This will be done through
various social media strategies, including custom Snapchat filters in coordination with the pop
up restaurants collaborations--one of the outreach campaigns. Bourdain Market will also start a
Pinterest account to gain a following among the DIY chef and cooking communities prevalent on
the platform. Additionally, a blog on Bourdain Market’s website will spotlight potential and
confirmed vendors, putting them as the star focus of the partnership, with Anthony Bourdain
taking the supporting role as their main proponent.

Outreach programs, including partnerships with restaurants around New York City and
incentives for customers will also be executed. Along with tasting a pop up menu dish at
renowned New York City restaurants, each menu item will integrate the use of scannable QR
codes, allowing customers to experience the market’s food both in real life and sharing through
social media with friends.

Gaining momentum through social media channels and securing mentions in media will be the
primary focus, as the Bourdain Market team hopes online sharing will promote conversation and
awareness about the market.

Research

Competitor Analysis
Chelsea Market, one of Bourdain Market’s main competitors, is a large indoor food market in
Chelsea in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. Situated on 9th Avenue, it is close to the
Hudson River and has anywhere from 35-45 vendors at a time. Attracting about 6 million
domestic and international visitors per year, it has a high foot traffic and is considered one of
New York City’s top food destinations for tourists.

Sharing the same neighborhood as Chelsea Market, Bourdain Market will occupy a space within
Pier 57, an avenue west of Chelsea Market and plans to have over 100 vendors. Its location on
the Hudson riverside will give it leverage to attract existing customers from Chelsea Market, as
they will also be able to have a wholesome travel experience enjoying views of the city skyline
combined with an international street market ambiance. Based on Chelsea market’s location
and foot traffic, Bourdain Market should expect about 15 million visitors per year.

Media Analysis
Most food publications within the digital space are well aware of Bourdain Market’s opening.
The first articles to be featured have been on Eater and GrubStreet, followed by the New York
Times, Curbed, and, most recently, Quartz. These outlets have a combined average of 100
million views per month, which will greatly expose Bourdain Market to new audiences.

Goal
Through a series of pop up menus with established New York City restaurants and a press
tasting/panel that will take place throughout the year, Bourdain market will gain increased
consumer and media interest leading up to its opening, and help Anthony Bourdain transform
New York City into the forefront of international street food culture.

Objectives
   1. Generate enthusiasm among the public leading up to the market's grand opening
   2. Build a reputation for Bourdain market as a unique international street food market with
       authentic and under the radar regional dishes that are only available at the market
   3. Position the market as a place that recognizes talented chefs from all over the world,
       where customers will be educated on the preparation and practices behind the cuisines’
       origins, which may seem “unconventional” to Americans

Audience
Adventurous eaters: people who love to try different cuisines
Travelers: globe-trotters who want to add a new dining experience to their travel itineraries

Media: food publications and national media outlets interested in new food establishments
Up and coming chefs: new talent in the regional and street cooking community who need a
platform to showcase their skills
Restaurant owners: established restaurant owners who would like to be part of a collective of
curated, high quality vendors. These include confirmed and potential vendors.
Well-known restaurant influencers: existing communities with a high following in the social
media stratosphere who are looking for a new dining experience to share with their audiences

Budget
$2 million

Social Media and Outreach Strategy Overview

Social Media/Owned Media Campaigns​:​ Drive digital activation strategies and connect directly
with audiences through platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, and Pinterest.
This will boost Bourdain Market’s owned media platforms and utilize them as the main point of
connection for audiences. Instagram followership and Facebook fans should be expected to
double, reaching up to 100,000 followers.

Video, Event and Outreach Campaign: Allow customers to get a glimpse (and taste) of what
Bourdain Market will have to offer. Offline interactions will allow consumers to have a
memorable and interactive experience and show Bourdain Market’s progress.

Earned Media Strategies​:​ Outreach campaigns will provide a segué for food media outlets to
feature these events in articles on their sites. Bourdain Market should expect mentions in the
following publications: Eater, GrubStreet (New York Magazine), Munchies (Vice), Buzzfeed
Food, Bon Appétit, First We Feast, Serious Eats, Gourmet Eats, Business Insider, Edible, Food
Network, and The Infatuation. Mentions in The New York Times and the Wall Street Journal will
be guaranteed, as witnessed by previous mentions.

Execution

Social Media Campaign #1 - Snapchat Filters for Pop Up Restaurants
Create custom filters for each pop up vendor Bourdain will hold with the local partner
restaurants throughout the year. Each filter will feature a custom Bourdain Market logo and the
logo of the partner restaurant.

Social Media Campaign #2 - Social Media Hashtag Engagement
Increase frequency of social media communications, especially through Instagram and
Facebook. Continue to interact with Instagram users through the #BourdainMarket hashtag by
posting more user generated content displaying street food from Asia, especially behind the
scenes photos or close-up kitchen photos of partner vendors. Hashtag will also be used in

relevant blog posts linked on Facebook and Twitter. Consistently posting everyday will increase
engagements by threefold.

Social Media Campaign #3 - Eat the World Blog
Create a blog with compelling travel and food content that ties into Bourdain Market’s social
media channels. Blog content will include recommendations of top food carts or street food
destinations in different cities and a ‘Did You Know’ vertical to educate audiences about the
cultural origins of dishes that are new to Americans. The blog will also include video content of
proprietor Anthony Bourdain introducing viewers to the market’s vendors, where he will
interview and spotlight them as the main focus for the blog. The blog’s content will also be
optimized for social media in 140-character tweets or video/photo posts on Instagram. The most
recent blog content posted on Instagram will include a call to action “Link in Bio” directing
audiences to the post by clicking on the link posted in the official Instagram page’s bio. This will
increase traffic to the website.

Social Media Campaign #4 - Pinterest Guides
Build a following on Pinterest by creating visual food travel guides, recipe boards and mood
boards. As a visual platform, the Pinterest page will be used to target creatives, artisans, home
cooks, chefs, and crafty individuals who turn to Pinterest for visual inspiration.

Video, Event and Outreach Campaign #1 - Pop Up Restaurant Partnerships
A year-long partnership with six restaurants around New York City will feature special dishes
from an overseas vendor at each restaurant. Collaboration with each New York-based
restaurants will last two months.

Local partner restaurants include:
   1. Momofuku Noodle Bar - a noodle shop serving seasonal dishes, and a variety of buns
   2. Mission Chinese Food - communal restaurant serving Sichuan cuisine with a twist of
       current influences
   3. The Spotted Pig - European eatery by Michelin decorated expat April Bloomfield
   4. The Breslin - a gastropub serving British fare
   5. John Dory Oyster Bar - a sustainable seafood raw bar at the hip Ace Hotel
   6. Somtum Der - a family-style restaurant serving Northeastern Thai cuisine via shareable
       plates

With these partnerships, one confirmed vendor for Bourdain Market will be paired with one of
the six restaurants. For the restaurant’s two months, a section of their menu will feature a few
selections from the Market vendor. At each of the restaurants during their two month period,
there will be a free swag item to collect for customers who order off the special Bourdain Market
vendor menu. These items will include a tote bag, a baseball hat, an apron, a spatula, a mug,
and a Japanese ceramic bowl with chopsticks. All of these items will have the Bourdain Market
logo emblazoned on them, and can all be collected for a special incentive to preview the market
on opening day.

Video, Event and Outreach Campaign #2 - Bourdain App QR Code Scanner
Implement a new scanning feature on the Bourdain Market app. The feature will scan a QR
codes on flag-like accessories attached to each Bourdain Market pop up dish. Once the QR
code is scanned at a restaurant, one sixth of the pop up incentive is complete and a Bourdain
Market swag item can be collected from that restaurant. Once all six codes are scanned, early
access to Bourdain Market will be granted to the user on opening day. Doors will open at 1pm,
and people with all six barcodes will get access at 11am.

Video, Event and Outreach Campaign #3 - Press Tasting and Restaurant Showcase Panel
Finally, once the year full of restaurant partnerships is up, four more confirmed overseas
vendors will be announced. These four will be different from the six that participated in the pop
up restaurant campaign. Their food will be showcased at an event where media publications,
restaurant owners, and members of the public will be invited to attend a Q&A panel to learn
about the four new vendors’ and taste their food.

Timeline

All strategies will be implemented over a 12-month period. Each pop up restaurant partnership
will last two months, and the final month will conclude with the media tasting panel for food
editors, media people and influencers. Social and owned media strategies will also be
continuously implemented until opening day.

June 1st - July 31st 2017
Pop Up Restaurant: Momofuku Noodle Bar

August 1st - September 30th 2017
Pop Up Restaurant: Mission Chinese Food

October 1st - November 30th 2017
Pop Up Restaurant: The Spotted Pig

December 1st - January 31st 2018
Pop Up Restaurant: The Breslin

February 1st - March 31st 2018
Pop Up Restaurant: John Dory Oyster Bar

April 1st - May 31st 2018
Pop Up Restaurant: Somtum Der

Summer 2018: July 1, 2018
Press Tasting and Vendor Showcase Panel

Press Release
Anthony Bourdain ​— ​American Chef and ​No Reservations ​star ​—​ Gives
Foodies a Taste of Bourdain Market Via Secret Pop-Up Menus Across
New York City

NEW YORK, April 24, 2017 Dubbed the world’s most adventurous eater by CNN, Anthony Bourdain
and his team behind Bourdain Market are giving foodies a chance to claim that title by offering a series of
pop up menus with established restaurants across New York City like David Chang’s ​Momofuku Noodle
Bar​, ​Mission Chinese Food​, ​The Spotted Pig​, ​The Breslin​, ​John Dory Oyster Bar​, and ​Somtum Der​ to
celebrate unique cultural dishes from all over the world.

The pop up menus will feature dishes from distinguished international street food vendors like ​La
Guerrerense​, a tostada cart from Ensenada, Mexico. La Guerrerense will not only be making an
appearance at Momofuku, but also eventually at Bourdain Market in 2019.

The marketplace will be a platform for vendors from all over the world to bring their authentic dishes to
New York City’s local eaters and tourists. It will include a farmers market, a rooftop beer garden, a tapas
bar, as well as over 100 food stalls including Singapore’s ​Geylang Claypot Rice​. In Bourdain’s words,
“Imagine Grand Central Station—sort of an old New York space if it was post-apocalyptic times and it
had been taken over by Chinese hawker vendors”.

Anticipating Bourdain Market fans who make it to all six pop-up menus will be granted exclusive access
and a special pre-viewing of the market hours before its official opening. Each pop up menu item at the
restaurants will contain a toothpick with a scannable QR code attached.

Scanning the code through the Bourdain Market app will ensure they’ve played a part in the secret pop-up
game. Bourdain market swag including totes, hats, aprons, cooking utensils, mugs, and Japanese ceramic
bowls, each ​specific to a partner restaurant​, will also be given out to those who order the pop up dishes.

Bourdain Market’s pop up menus will be served from June 2017 to May 2018, beginning at
Momofuku Noodle Bar.