4 Things About F&B Marketing No One Told You
The F&B industry is all about flavours, experiences and memories. But what about its marketing? A top-notch recipe doesn’t necessarily guarantee a top spot in your customer’s hearts. Behind every perfectly plated dish is a marketing strategy that gets people talking, snapping photos and coming back for more. Unfortunately, most F&B businesses are caught in a marketing loop—relying on the same old tactics and missing out on a buffet of creative opportunities. Ready to shake things up? Here are 4 F&B marketing insights that no one told you, but we’re about to spill the beans.
1. Don’t Keep All Your Eggs in One Basket
It’s a classic F&B blunder: pouring all your marketing efforts into one shiny channel and crossing your fingers that it’ll do the trick. Whether it’s putting all your energy into Instagram posts or slapping up a few posters in the restaurant, focusing on just one or two marketing tactics is like ordering plain toast when there’s a full English on the menu. You’re seriously missing out.
The truth is, in today’s digital world, you need to spread the love. Social media is great, sure, but don’t forget pop-up events, chef’s tables, good old-fashioned PR and even email newsletters (yes, people still read those). Your audience isn’t sitting in just one corner of the internet. And let’s face it, relying only on Instagram is a risky game—it’s all fun and games until the algorithm changes and suddenly your perfectly curated grid is lost in the abyss.
At Wishbox, we help F&B brands mix things up, creating campaigns that go beyond the basics. Why have toast when you can have the full spread?
2. Craft Killer Hooks (Because Attention is Limited!)
Let’s be real: attention spans these days are shorter than the time it takes to burn your toast. In a world of 15-second TikToks and constant scrolling, if your content doesn’t grab attention faster than Gordon Ramsay loses his temper, it’s going to get ignored. Enter: the hook.
A hook is that magical ingredient that makes people stop mid-scroll and think, “Hold on, what’s this?” Whether it’s a cheeky headline, a sizzling close-up of a dish being prepared, or a clever caption, it’s the hook that reels people in. Let’s illustrate with a quick comparison:
Reel A: Starts with a shot of the dish being served, with the caption: “Check out our new special.”
Reel B: Opens with a close-up of the sizzling pan, the chef adding the final sprinkle of herbs and a voice-over saying, “You’ve never tasted anything like this before!”
Guess which one pulls in the views? Reel B, of course! Crafting that killer hook at the start of your content makes all the difference in today’s hyper-competitive digital world. At Wishbox, we specialise in creating content that doesn’t just blend in but stands out, with hooks that turn scrollers into customers.
3. It’s the Era of Collaborations
Gone are the days of solo marketing campaigns. Welcome to the era of collaborations, where teaming up with influencers, chefs and even other local businesses is the secret sauce to standing out. Whether it’s a cocktail collab with the hottest mixologist in town or a chef’s collab dinner that brings expertise-infused magic to your kitchen, partnerships are where it’s at.
Influencer collabs are the obvious place to start. Get a food blogger with a million followers to review your new menu and you’re golden. But don’t stop there. Collaborate with local businesses for pop-up events, create limited-time menus with other chefs, or even team up with a nearby artisan coffee shop for a cross-promotional special.
Think of it as a tasting menu of marketing options—each collab adds a new flavour to your brand and your audience will keep coming back for more. At Wishbox, we’ll help you find the perfect partner in crime (or cuisine) and cook up campaigns that get people buzzing.
4. Experience Marketing: It’s More Than Just A Meal (It’s A Show)
Let’s face it: people don’t just want a meal anymore. They want an experience. Gone are the days of sitting down, eating, and leaving. These days, diners want to be part of the action—whether it’s watching their food being prepared at the chef’s table or attending a themed dining event where every course tells a story. Welcome to the world of experience marketing, where it’s not just about what’s on the plate, but the entire atmosphere you create.
Think about it—why settle for simply serving up a tasty dish when you can make the process an interactive show? Maybe it’s a behind-the-scenes kitchen tour, an interactive tasting menu, or a cocktail-making masterclass. These experiences don’t just feed the stomach—they feed the soul (and give your customers plenty to post about on social media).
It’s time to stop thinking of your restaurant as just a place to eat and start thinking of it as a place to be. At Wishbox, we help F&B brands build immersive experiences that make people want to come back again and again. Because let’s be honest, everyone loves a good show, especially when it ends with dessert.
Conclusion
The F&B industry is brimming with creativity, but many businesses still stick to the same old marketing recipes—and then wonder why their reservations are looking a bit…light. From diversifying your platforms to nailing that killer hook, partnering up with the right collaborators, and turning meals into memorable experiences, there’s no shortage of ways to spice things up.
At Wishbox, we’re here to help you cook up a marketing strategy that goes beyond the ordinary. Ready to serve up something extraordinary? Give us a shout, and let’s get cooking (metaphorically, of course—we’ll leave the actual cooking to you).
