Branding with Bad Service: It Can be Done

Some businesses have used their service to brand themselves in an unusual way. That is, they have turned bad service into an art form so that it, in effect, becomes a crucial part of the brand experience. Several restaurants employ this type of bad service branding. One restaurant in Dallas, Texas, features waitresses who noisily chew gum and shout at customers. It's a show, and they obviously have fun delivering it.

Some high-end boutique shops practice snooty behavior toward their customers to demonstrate their exclusivity. Clerks will address you as "my dear" in a condescending tone of voice with a fake British accent, while looking down their noses at you. It makes a certain group of shoppers feel good about paying higher prices—especially if they see the clerks treating other customers this way.

Simon Cowell, one of the American Idol television show judges, has branded himself as a controversial critic. He keeps getting invited back to judge; people find him clever, and they enjoy groaning when he makes his brutally frank and negative comments. He helps keep loyal fans watching American Idol. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, the big Bravo television hit, is branding itself to a large degree with cynical remarks about unkempt straight men.

This type of negative branding is unusual, but when it works, it can be a draw for a specific market segment. The limitation is that once you become recognized and applauded for this type of delivery, it is very difficult to shift to another style without losing your devoted customer base.

on-brand

Two UK star chefs, Gordon Ramsay and Raymond Blanc, prepare extraordinary food in their kitchens. They have each been awarded a number of Michelin stars. But their personalities may be as much a draw as their recipes. Gordon Ramsay engages in a coarse dialogue with both staff and customers. Raymond Blanc charms them. They are described as "chefs with attitude."

People must book reservations at their restaurants months in advance, and the two chefs' different personalities reinforce their distinctiveness and passion about food. Both chefs magnify their unique brand through their differentiated behavior, passion, and attitudes that make their culinary skills in the kitchen all the more attractive. ^[8]

^[8]Gwen Davis, "Chefs with Attitude," Wall Street Journal Europe, October 25–27, 2002, weekend edition.