Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Beyond great service

Last night I was fortunate to spend a great night with my husband at Nomi. We were at a preview night to relaunch the space. I love getting dressed up to go to one of my favorite places, and the night didn't disappoint. Not because of the food (which wasn't my cup of tea), but because of the service and elegance. From the time I got into the lovely hotel, were staff was waiting to check you in with ipads, to the beautiful space, with friendly and eager waitstaff, to the chefs preparing the food, it was service done to a whole new level. Sure it was a cocktail party, but every detail was thought of. It was packaging to a whole new level. And now when I think of the lounge, not just a name comes to mind. But the experience. Sights, sounds, tastes, even smells. A combination of the senses. And that's what great branding does. It goes beyond a logo and a name. It makes a connection. And boy, did I connect.
The "parting gift" was spices in a wood box, with the logo and messaging burned in. Rustic and elegant, it also contained spices and a recipe. Probably one of the few gifts I will actually keep.