Social Media: Reputation Maker Or Breaker? 16
CLH Digital
Issue 68
By Fraser Vandal, associate at UK law firm TLT (www.tltsolicitors.com)
Social media platforms are now a primary source of information and a key method of communication for individuals and businesses around the world, and have the potential to make or break reputations. One need only look at recent media headlines to see the possibility for negative impact: a video posted on Twitter of two men accosting Prof Chris Whitty was quickly condemned and the men publically branded as ‘thugs’ by Boris Johnson. While the original video has since been deleted, the footage is still available across the internet, showing how quickly content can spread. One of the men in the video has lost his job as a result of the video, with the incident being treated as common assault (despite the men claiming they only wanted a selfie). This incident again highlights the possible concerns of using platforms where content can easily go viral, as it’s easy to see how quickly a reputation can be damaged by a single post before any form of explanation can be provided. The hospitality sector uses social media to connect with and find customers, and even strike business deals as demonstrated in the unusual exchange between supermarket chain Aldi and craft brewery BrewDog in 2020. Hailed by some as the ‘greatest social media moment of 2020’, it all started with a single Twitter user posting a picture of a drink purchased from Aldi noting the stark similarity of a product to one of BrewDog’s craft range. Aldi’s Anti Establishment IPA was clearly a take on BrewDog’s Punk IPA; but rather than receiving a negative reaction from the brewery, an entertaining Twitter exchange led to a collaboration and the subsequent production of ALD IPA which went on sale and flew off shelves just months later. However, not all social media exchanges end on such good terms. One only need look online to find that there have been many instances of hospitality venues coming under fire after posting seemingly discriminatory views on social media, or sharing photographs of staff and customers breaking social distancing rules. Indeed, the positive publicity enjoyed by BrewDog has recently been tempered by a number of former employees making serious allegations of improper workplace behaviours via Twitter. The use of social media by employees, both in and outside of work, can negatively impact on the employ-
ment relationship. There have been a number of high profile examples over the years where employees have found themselves in difficulty, and even facing dismissal, over their social media use. For example, a Wetherspoons employee was fairly dismissed for making offensive comments about two customers on Facebook while on duty, and Burger King faced global outrage when one employee shared a photo on anonymous site 4Chan of another staff member standing in lettuce supposedly due for customer consumption. Given the reliance of the sector on social media for marketing and promotion, and the prevalence of younger people working in the sector that use social media as a primary channel of communication, this could be a tricky area for hospitality venues to manage. Fortunately, many risks can be mitigated by implementing a suitable social media policy. Cases can very often turn on their own facts, and the extent of the damage caused to the employment relationship will be a key consideration. A well drafted policy setting out appropriate parameters on employees’ personal social media use is the employer’s first line of defence should things go wrong. A policy should clearly set out expectations for out of work behaviour and the consequences of any breaches. It should also clearly delineate between use of social media for work purposes and private use, and what is expected in each area. An employer may require employees to review their security settings to ensure that only those on their ‘friends list’ are able to see their content, and include any ‘sector specific’ requirements that may be appropriate The policy should list examples of what the employer will regard as gross misconduct, such as posting derogatory comments about the employer or colleagues online, or posting confidential information. Once policies have been created, it’s crucial that the information is shared with and understood by all employees. Some organisations may wish to provide regular updates or even training sessions on what is and is not acceptable. It’s also important to ensure policies are kept regularly up to date to keep up to speed with ever-evolving developments online. Ultimately, employees need to remember that social media is a public domain and that they are representing the profession and their employer when using it, even if just for personal use. While it’s clear that social media is a vital piece of the marketing puzzle for pubs, bars and restaurants alike; it’s important that a clear and wellcommunicated strategy is put in place, and backed up by an appropriate social media policy that is understood and adhered to by all employees.
Knorr Professional Launches It’s 2021 Great Roast Competition In Bid To Celebrate Our Nation’s Most Iconic Dish ®
Brighton and Clean Bean in Seaham to find out:
It’s back & the search is on for the nation’s best meat and vegetarian, or vegan roast dinners is on, as Knorr® Professional announces the launch of its annual Great Roast competition.
“Jamie and I are extremely proud of The Cleveland Arms Sunday roast, created using the finest locally sourced, organic meat and delicious, seasonal vegetables. When we entered the Knorr® Professional Great Roast Competition back in 2019 we never expected to win. It has been a fantastic accolade for our business and a big pat on the back for our dedicated team. In addition to the great prize package for winning, the PR that we have received, both locally and nationally has been invaluable, especially for an independent pub like ours.”
Celebrating one of the most iconic dishes found on menus across the country, the Great Roast competition returns in 2021 for the tenth year and seeks to recognise the chefs and their businesses who serve the very best dishes to their customers. The free-to-enter competition is open to any business serving roast dinners to the public and gives establishments the chance to win a host of great prizes, including a £3,000 catering equipment voucher, PR support and a photoshoot for each of the two category winners. Following on from the success in 2019 and continuing to recognise the importance of quality plant-based dishes, aligned with Knorr® Professional’s brand purpose & sustainability commitments, this year’s Great Roast competition will again award a prize for the best vegetarian or vegan roast, alongside the same prize for the winning traditional meat roast. Open now until the end of September, chefs simply complete a quick entry form, add a link to their menu and an image of their best roast to be considered for one or both categories. A team of judges will shortlist entries in October, before independent mystery diners visit to anonymously judge each shortlisted entry. Winners will be then announced in November, where the ‘Best Meat Roast 2021’ and ‘Best Vegetarian or Vegan Roast 2021’ will be crowned. “A traditional roast dinner is one of the iconic dishes of our nation. Now in its 10th year, we are delighted to be launching the Knorr® Professional Great Roast competition 2021 – searching for the very best dishes from across the country and recognising the chefs who have created them.
Sarah Davies, owner of The Cleveland Arms, Brighton
As the ongoing focus on sustainable living sees an ever-increasing number of consumers enjoy a plant-based diet, whether as part of a flexitarian or vegetarian/vegan diet, we also want to recognise those businesses meeting these demands. That is why we are delighted to have two hotly contested categories in this year’s competition, one for meat dishes and the other for vegetarian or vegan dishes. So, if you think you serve the nation’s greatest roast dinner, why not enter today and have a chance to take the prestigious title of the Great British Roast 2021”. Kate Drew, Senior Marketing Manager for Knorr® Professional at Unilever Food Solutions So what would it mean for a business to win the Great British Roast competition? We spoke to the 2019 winners, The Cleaveland Arms in
“The ethos behind Clean Bean was to create a completely unique dining establishment, where the menu takes inspiration from our travels around the world. Serving delicious food, we champion clean, healthy, nutritious, fresh and locally sourced ingredients. Our menu is entirely gluten-free and many of our dishes are vegetarian and veganfriendly. Winning the Vegetarian or Vegan category of the Knorr® Professional Great Roast Competition in 2019 is something that we are immensely proud of. It’s helped us to put Clean Bean on the gastronomic map and showcased the quality of our vegetarian roast dinner – a dish that is now regularly ordered by vegetarians and flexitarians alike.” Paul & Linda Barron, Owners of Clean Bean, Seaham Entries for this year’s competition are open now and will close on Thursday 30th September. The competition is open to any business in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland serving a roast dinner to the public. Entries must be submitted through the Unilever Food Solutions website at www.ufs.com/greatroast, where full details of the competition and terms and conditions can be found.
Food-To-Go Market Recovering Faster Than Expected, According To IGD In its latest channel forecasts for the food-to-go sector, IGD – providers of foresight and insight for the food and consumer goods industry – predicts that the channel will be worth £15.6bn at the end of 2021, which is 82.5% of its 2019 value. It is forecast to return to its preCovid levels in the second half of 2022, six months earlier than expected. Nicola Knight, Senior Analyst for Food-to-Go and author of the forecasts explains: “This is a better-than-expected result, so is really positive news for the sector; by 2026, the market will be worth £22.7bn which is 20.5% more than 2019. This will be the outcome of five years of growth at above pre-pandemic levels, following significant contraction in 2020, and will predominantly be driven by foodservice operators.” However, recovery is not consistent across sub-sectors. Foodservice food-to-go operators, (QSRs in particular) have been the main driver of
the growth, increasing market share from 77% in 2019 to 79% in 2021. Covid restrictions have played a significant role, predominantly due to consumers suffering from cooking fatigue and opting for affordable treats, which has in-turn benefitted “destination” food-to-go sites. Nicola continues: “To survive and meet new demand, operators have fast-forwarded innovation at an unprecedented speed. Delivery, digital and proposition development have placed survivors in a good position to maintain momentum as restrictions ease. But it’s important to note that QSRs, coffee shops and food-to-go outlets may experience a dip in sales growth in the second half of this year, as consumers have more choice on where and how to spend their money.” In retail, the share of the food-to-go market is forecast to reduce to 21% in 2021 from 24% in 2019. This will gradually increase to 23% by 2026 as momentum starts to return to retail food-to-go.