Restaurant Branding: How to stand out in the age of perception

In recent years customers have been progressively more engaged in the restaurant experience; this fact has transformed them into authentic and direct brand ambassadors, especially through social media. Given this context, “what innovative ideas enable a restaurant brand to stand out in a constantly evolving environment?” This thesis will explore how to strengthen brand identity and help it emerge while introducing the latest restaurant setup trends. The study will treat the vision and the creation of the brand strategy (think, imagine, prepare to design brand), the brand design and the brand identity of the restaurant industry, through both practical applications and case study, i.e. strategic communication plans of well-known and prestigious restaurants such as Da Vittorio Ristorante. For the case study, methodological triangulation will be applied, which involves investigating a phenomenon using several research methods. Specifically, a Harward Elite Interview will be carried out to study in detail the point of view of the restaurateur, in this case, Rossella Cerea, General Manager of the Da Vittorio. Subsequently, quantitative analysis at the ideal population level will take place through a closed questionnaire to better understand the perspective of a possible consumer. And finally, an in-depth interview with a sample that frequents the Da Vittorio Ristorante to analyse in detail the perception of a typical customer. The importance and dedication in emotional and experiential terms that you put into the service provided are relevant. It is essential to define values and emotions that tie in with the brand in order to create trust in the customer. The goal is to provide a pool of talent for developing the best branding strategy to inspire customer empathy.