Subeez cafe

Idea#1

The my first thought on my branding assignment. came up with companies like American Apparel, a towing company like busters or drake. Both ideas deal with each company having a negative feel around them. American Apparel has been getting a lot of negative press with its soft porn advertisement campaign, along with rude staff, and a owner that is equally as rude. Towing companies are generally associated with expenses, such as parking tickets, repair bills, and the cost of the tow itself. After much thought I decided to work on and get feedback on two companies. Both companies have a personal connection to me in some form or another. The first idea or company is Subeez Cafe, my second idea is to help brand The Divine child Doula Services. Subeez cafe I've worked at for about 7 years now and seen it at it most insanely busy times with lineup out the door and loud vibrant energy inside. Now it just seems to be coasting by, never super busy but just busy enough to bet by. The divine child is a small one person business, although it is busy it does need help in the branding and marketing side of things.

SUBEEZ CAFE Subeez Cafe is a centrally located restaurant located downtown core of Vancouver on the corner of Homer and Smithe. The cafe was established around 17years ago when yaletown was a little less developed and Subeez was a very unique dinning experience. As time went on its neighborhood grew and with this growth brought more people but also brought more competition to the cafe.

Although the competitors did okay Subeez managed to root itself as an authentic downtown dinning experiences, with its industrial gothic feel. A place in which its customers can relax have a good time and be themselves.

Subeez has a lot of strength working in its favor.

STRENGTHS

• its location, close enough to both areas for sporting events and concerts.
• a large room easily accommodates large parties
• reasonably priced food and drinks
• a unpretentious staff with a unique vibe
• the music selection can be very eclectic and forward thinking
• has a bit of a neighborhood pub feel
• great place to hangout and socialize with friends and family
• djs
• modern feel
• patio
• artsy
• has new condo building being built around it (potentially being a great neighborhood hangout)
• good food
• mostly positive reviews

As time went on Subeez Cafe gave an appearance of a place well lived in, a little rough around the edges and perhaps you could say its lost a bit of its shine which you would expect in a establishment thats been around for about 17years. This brings me to some of the weakness in the way in which Subeez is percieved.

WEEKNESSES

• Subeez is sending a mixed messages to it clientele and not allowing them to make their own decision is subeez a Bar, a Restaurant, or a Cafe.

• With the well lived in feel Subeez can be a bit cluttered or a bit under maintained.

• unusual art pieces (including a statue of an naked man)
• cluttered with nick-nacks and other odds and ends
• the bathrooms have these amazing art pieces in them, but they are run down and dirty looking.
• all though most of the reviews are good there as been a few occasions that it lack creativity.
• the music can be loud and abrasive at times, but more recently the music has changed from its forward and progressive to aneveryday run of the mill style of music.
• Some other views have mention that it hadn't changed much over the years and the decor looks dated
• the menus at Subeez are fairly straight forward but made of paper so the look dirty, stained, wrinkled, and torn in some places.
• little or no advertisment.
• the logo is clean and simple but may need a freshen up with its design.
• Subeez has a very large room so it can be a positive or negative thing. Negatively if it isn't busy then it looks really slow.

Overtime Subeez surroundings and environment have changed bringing with it some challenging competition.

THREATS

• New restaurants in the neighborhood like Section 3, Jimmy's Tapas Bar, along with the introduction of the Donnelly Group bars and pubs have all threatened the business for Subeez. smaller restaurants can feel more cozy and inviting.

Other threats may include

• the introduction of the HST
• the economy is not a good as it use to be, even as little as 5 years ago. people just don't have the extra spending cash to go out for dinner. I had a talk with one person who mention that he just doesn't have the cash to go out and when he does he doesn't tip anymore, which he seem to blame on the HST. a sense of being over charged for everything.
• with that said there is also a threat that older clientele has simply out grown Subeez, while the potentially new clientele hasn't heard of it, or it a place that has been dated and just isn't appealing to them in the the same way.

This brings us to think about what opportunities does Subeez have that that we can capitalize on and help establish Subeez once again not only as a Yaletown destination but a downtown Vancouver destination. Subeez has a chance to not necessarily change as a restaurant, but to improve on an already great space.

capitalizing on its uniqueness, its eclectic, artistic and modern industrial feel. changing little things like the menu design, and logo. Improving on how people perceive Subeez with modern up grads, and a friendly marketing campaign geared towards creating Subeez as a fun upbeat place to socialize with friends, a place for local can claim as their local watering hole.