People today live in a world characterized by stress, alienation, and clutter. People cope by developing escape mechanisms and meaningful friendships. That is where you come in with your restaurant business.

Brand personality can provide these roles by being either an "aspirational" or a "trusted" associate. Escape can take the form of aspirational relationship which provides a social lift or trusting relationship which provide some expertise or knowledge of a subject in which a given person is interested. You are cultured or cool if you drive this, wear that, eat here or are seen hanging around there. Brand personality can be the basis for real differentiation and competitive advantage. The chosen relationship that a customer believes they have with any brand should be the centerpiece of that brand's strategy and execution. Do you see how this ties in to your restaurant business?

Does your brand speak out? The natural tendency is to consider your brand to be passive and quiet.. The focus is upon consumer perceptions, attitudes, and behavior toward the brand; yet your relationship with another person is deeply affected by not only who that person is but also what that person thinks of you. Similarly, a brand-customer relationship will have an active partner at each end, the brand as well as the customer. How does your restaurant business perceive the customer?

Consider a doctor who is perceived by all to be professional, caring, capable, and funny--characteristics that most would like in a doctor. But what if the doctor also felt you were a boring hypochondriac? The resulting negative relationship would be devastating for your restaurant business. The brand personality must appreciate the customer, too.  I see hundreds of restaurants every year. You would be surprised at how many treat customers as friends versus those who view customers as a receipt.

Is your restaurant business your customer's best friend?