Looking for that little romantic spot for dinner that won’t be too crazy on Valentine’s Day? Well, it turns out that spot may have been hiding in plain sight.
For over 25 years White Castle has been turning up the heat on Valentine’s Day, and not just under their famous grills. On Valentine’s Day, White Castle decorates their restaurants in red and pink, uses tablecloths, candles and menus, and offers a sit-down service. Some customers have turned it into their Valentine’s Day traditions.
According to Delish, this year reservation system OpenTable is getting in on the fun by offering advance reservations through their service.
Unless you sell diamonds, Valentine’s Day is a surprisingly hard day for marketers. Not a lot of businesses have a natural tie-in to romance, and those that do may not want to alienate singles, who generally have disposable income to spend. But the White Castle sit-down meal has created a beautiful courtship between White Castle and OpenTable.
Twenty-seven years after first offering sit-down Valentine’s Day service, White Castle’s earned media on the event is still offering great returns. In fact, the buzz may be stronger than ever, as customers Tweet and Instagram their way through their special meals.
For OpenTable, a service generally associated with midscale and upscale restaurants, this is a great way to get in the news in an unexpected way on an important holiday for the restaurant industry, and introduce its service to a whole new clientele.
If you’re looking for your perfect marketer – the ketchup to your fries, the onion to your ring, the kind of person who can make White Castle sound like a romantic place to spend Valentine’s Day – give us a call.
Right on, again!
Great post as always!