LO2: Company Research

 Company/competitor Research

Potential competitors that are similar to The Angel & Harlequin that could be used as influence toward an advertising campaign for The Angel, would be other (local) pub-restaurants which target a similar, wide, ABC1, male and female (20-50) British audience.

The Mossbrook Inn (Eckington)

• How they Market Themselves: Similarly to The Angel, The Mossbrook Inn markets themselves as a classic but stylish pub catered towards hospitality in serving both food and drink to a British audience; the Sunday roast menu being something shared as well between the two restaurants. However, differently, The Mossbrook also markets itself as an Inn to stay at within its name and in their slogan: 'A stylish pub with rooms, for relaxed drinking & dining '. This gives a slight edge over The Angel however, despite not marketing it, the building in which they're located  does contain guest rooms which are available to be booked by the public as living quarters. This can be used to benefit the business through advertising this fact. 

• Target Demographic: The target demographic is the same as The Angel: male and female audiences of ABC1 background between 20-50 however, the younger audience is appealed to further than The Angel through their cocktails menu which is available on their website which creates more appeal for audiences on the younger side of drinking; likewise The Angel lacks this appeal to the younger demographic. 

• Brand/Image: The logo for The Mossbrook Inn is simple, using a serif font to appeal to the more mature audience and signify the classic/stylish branding of a 'traditional country pub experience'.  Likewise, the slogan uses the same font  and advertises simply what the restaurant offers to its audience 'A stylish pub with rooms, for relaxed drinking & dining'. Ultimately this branding is similar to The Angel's. Iconography present furthers connotations of a welcoming pub, classic-British cuisine and a variety of drinks for the audience to choose from that appeal to all demographics. This is done with imagery that uses high-key, warm lighting and an old, brick building to signify the welcoming, British style of the pub. This is in culmination with an online website design that uses a palette of gold and white to signify the ABC1 audience. 

The Phoenix (Ridgeway)

• How they Market Themselves: The Phoenix market itself as a restaurant-pub however, they focus on attracting a younger audience through representations of male and female demographics between 20-25. This is furthered with non-traditional imagery of food like skewers or Caesar salad which challenge conventions of what people would expect of a pub-restaurant however, this creates further appeal to that younger audience through the modernisation of its branding. This is something The Angel could take into account within the advertising campaign to represent a younger demographic to appeal to modern audiences. This is furthered with events such as the Ridgeway Annual Beer Festival which appeals to the younger demographic further. 

• Target Demographic: The demographic of The Phoenix is male and females between 20-35 of both ABC1 and C2DE background which is made evident in its representations of audience on the website as well as cheaper menu prices compared to The Angel (around £6 per main on average) which appeals to the younger C2DE audience. 

• Brand/Image: The Phoenix is part of a conglomerate (Greene King) and due to this, it's branding is the same as other restaurants within the conglomerate. This extending to a website which uses a green and white colour palette, the Greene King logo (which signifies for a more mature, ABC1 audience with iconography and connotations of royalty) and no slogan. Fonts used are a simple sans serif style in a contrasting white to the green background which furthers appeal to the younger audience through text that's less traditional and easier to read. 

The Milestone (Crystal Peaks)

• How they Market Themselves: The Milestone is part of the Marston's conglomerate and due to this, they employ synergy through advertising other Marston's restaurants at the bottom of their website's page. The restaurant (like the others) advertises itself as a place for food and drink however, this is outside the traditional pub style, preferring a more modern design in the website which can appeal to a younger audience of digital natives who are likely to be using it. This is furthered by events the restaurant holds such as 'Saturday Night Bands'.

• Target Demographic: The target audience for The Milestone is an ABC1/C2DE male and female audience ranging between 20-50 in which the establishment appeals to both sides of its vast age spectrum. This is through the representations on their website images of men and women between the age demographic from different ethnicities, denoted by their costume which is a mix of traditional shirts, jewellery (for the mature demographic) and modern (and vintage) outfits like a denim jacket for the younger audience. 

• Brand/Image: The logo the brand uses is a simple black and white serif styled font which denotes the restaurant's name to signify the  stylish simplicity of the restaurant to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. The slogan furthering this with 'The good times are waiting' which uses another stylised serif font to signify the blend between the older and younger demographics. Iconography included being the food and drinks that the restaurant offers to entice the audience with imagery that will introduce them to the style of food (drinks) the location serves so they can be intrigued and plan what they want to order when going to The Milestone. Furthermore, the location of the restaurant is next to the mall, Crystal Peaks, which can be advertised conveniently as a place to eat at after a day of shopping.