Unique Cocktail Branding Ideas For Your Next Happy Hour

Looking for some unique and share worthy marketing ideas for your bar, restaurant, or catering business? Want to go beyond the tired old branded coasters and cocktail napkins? Hospitality business owners are coming up with some creative and memorable ways to spice up their cocktails with these exciting branding ideas. Say It N-Icely

Nearly every cocktail has one thing in common, they all come with ice. Rather than let this blank canvas melt away unnoticed, your brand can be stamped into each cube. Press a brass stamp into the ice and your logo or message is instantly created without the need for molded ice trays. The branded ice looks best on large disks or cubes that float on top of the drink.

Make It A-Peeling

Ordering your drink with a twist just got a little more interesting with heated branding stamps. Logos and messages can be burned into orange, lemon, or lime peels and placed in the cocktail or on a garnish pick. The burned image will also give off a little extra scent of citrus, adding to the sensory sensation.

Burn It into Memory

One upscale cocktail lounge is taking coaster branding to a whole new level. Using thinly sliced rounds of pine, the bar burns their name into the coaster as part of a theatrical drink making process. The smoke from the freshly embossed pine is then used to smoke the inside of an overturned glass and filled with a signature cocktail. The coaster becomes a unique souvenir that will likely not get tossed away like so many inferior paper coasters.

Give a Token of Appreciation

Retro drink tokens are making a comeback in a big way. Once popular in casinos and corner bars, drink tokens can be turned in for one free drink. However, the most unique and creative tokens are often seen as collectibles and never exchanged for a drink. Tokens are usually made out of metal, plastic, or wooden disks. They are perfect for handing out at events or given to special guests by your bartenders and servers.

Add an Old Fashioned Twist

Of course, sometimes the old way of doing things is still the best way. Every drink needs a swizzle stick or garnish pick, so take advantage of this branding opportunity by creating custom designed drink stirrers. Incorporate your logo or brand message into uniquely shaped plastic stir sticks for social media shareworthy opportunities. You can also create custom designed garnish picks for branded cocktails and appetizers.

These are just a few interesting ways you can market your brand during any cocktail hour, party, or event here at Soho Studios. By giving each drink that extra wow factor, people will remember your message long after the ice melts.

Sources:

nytimes.com/2016/05/18/dining/bars-advertising-cocktails

cocktailbrandalism.com

brandingirons.com

royercorp.com/products/beverage-stirrers/

drinktokens.com

Event Catering

Catering is the professional preparation and serving of food and beverages. Event planners find it a convenient method of advancing their guest’s hospitality needs. The business is booming – and why not – the hospitality industry has upped its game. But what does event catering entail? What are the expected industry minimum standards? Well, like all businesses, it requires professionalism and meticulous planning. Without a good team, event catering will be a bad experience for the person organizing it.

A great example of an event where you can find a wide variety of catering for events in Miami is The South Beach Wine and Food Festival. The Wine and Food Festival is four day culinary extravaganza that features wine and cuisine from all over the planet.

Below are the various stages of an event catering process.

Cooking and Delivery

To be successful at event catering, caterers need to be adept at food preparation and cooking. To be a professional cook or chef, you need to have under gone at least 3 years training in a food and hospitality college. Hygiene when cooking food cannot be gainsaid. The most successful event catering business is the one that observes personal hygiene almost to the level of eccentricity. You need to have the necessary cooking utensils such as cooking pots, cooking pans, cooking sticks etc. Good cooking is one thing, delivering the food in a hygienic and professional manner is another. Food delivery is a nightmare if you do not have the right equipment. You need to have automobiles that are sanitized, good packaging utensils and crockery, and refrigerated vans for perishable vegetables and drinks. You need to be able to deliver the food in time, serve in time and clear out the event venue in time. Event catering is a time conscious business.

Staffing Logistics

Event catering should be an organized affair. You will need to have the kitchen staff, the transportation staff, the waiting staff, managers, suppliers of food materials to the kitchen, event decorators as well as cleaning staff. As an owner of an event catering business, you will be expected to handle this staffing logistics with ease. Before taking up an event catering job, this entire staff must be in place. Failure to have the necessary staff is planning to fail.

Event Venue Preparation and Serving

Most companies that outsource event catering services expect the catering firm to decorate and arrange the venue as well as serve the guests. From event themes and colors to table arrangement and fixing a temporary bar and kitchen, a manager at a catering firm is expected to have the event venue ready. Note that event catering is not a business for the faint hearted or the disorganized. It is a business for people with excellent planning capabilities. To handle the large number of people and logistics, you need to have management skills and high emotional quotient. You will need to be able to balance competing egos with your business agenda. From arrival times of the various event guests to meal times and beverages servings, a caterer will have his hands full. Always remember to ask what kind of guests will be attending the event. You do not want to be caught off guard by having guests that are vegetarians, teetotalers, or those that are restricted by their religions from taking certain foods. Event catering is a highly complex and demanding business, yet being involved in it is both exhilarating and involving.

Mobile Bars

If you are event planning for an occasion that will require mobile bars, there are some pretty amazing choices available. You may have more options than you realize, and you will want to consider several factors when deciding on a vendor.

A mobile bar is more than a place to dispense drinks. It is a gathering point, a centerpiece of socialization. It can impress with its size, color, and lighting. The right staff can add greatly to the enjoyment of your event.

Here are some things to consider.

- Will the mobile bar enhance your event? Does it offer anything special other than a counter and cooler?

- Does it light up or accommodate custom colors or logos? Is there a “wow” factor that you are looking for and does the    mobile bar company provide it?

- What type of glassware is appropriate for your event and does your mobile bar vendor provide it?

- Is the staff experienced with your type of event?

- Does the staff dress appropriately for your type of event?

- Do they offer flair bartenders to add a little extra to your event?

Is the staff age appropriate for your event?

Remember, attendees at your event will not care that you are using a vendor for your event. They will see the mobile bar as an extension of the event and the mobile bar staff as your staff. You’ll want to get great recommendations and do your due diligence.

Bartending in Miami can be taken to new levels with exciting flair bartenders that can include everything from fire breathing to magic. Don’t be afraid to step out of the box!

At SoHo Studios, we can help event planners with a variety of resources, including mobile bars and bar tenders. These resources can complement your event and make it just that much more enjoyable. If you are planning an event in South Florida, contact SoHo Studios. We love partnering with successful organizations in creating memorable events!