1. MMAJ 702: Communication Portfolio Presented By: Kate Thompson Business & Creative Development of the Bullfrog Food & Spirits

2. Table of Contents Section 1: Introduction & Background of the Project 1-4 Section 2: Preliminary Restaurant Research 5-8 Section 3: The Designing of a Logo 9-20 Section 4: Creation of Print Materials Section 5: Media Section 6: Partnerships to Establish Section 7: Research Evaluation

3. Executive Summary The creative work prepared for the restaurant, the Bullfrog Food and Spirits is being presented. It took approximately four months to determine the new look of the restaurant, which was specifically the new logo. After completing the new logo, the design of print materials began. This included a completely new menu, a Catering menu, Flyers, Brochures, Business Cards, Contact Cards for customers and the restaurant’s first ever Website. Research was completed regarding the location of the restaurant and the demographics associated with it. I also compiled research for potential partnerships that the restaurant’s owners should establish and reach out to, in order to expand their business. I’ve also developed an evaluation section which I can use as a benchmark. A lot of the variables associated with this project were out of my control, but it still allowed me to make recommendations and suggestions along the way as to what would benefit the future of the restaurant.

5. Section 1: Introduction & Background of the Project Summary of the overall goals of the project and an explanation of the services the Bullfrog Food and Spirits offers. Introduction & Background of the Project

6. I partnered with Shannon and David Lam, owners of the Bullfrog Food & Spirits , to complete and fulfill my final requirements for Clarion University. The overall purpose of the project was to re-establish the restaurant’s name, from a creative and business perspective. In doing so, I have created a Portfolio highlighting the project from start to finish. Goals of the project: ● Create a new logo ● Use the logo to create a “look” for the restaurant and develop the brand. ● Develop the restaurant’s first-ever website ● Create a media list for press release distribution ● Promote new Catering Services offered by the restaurant ● Design the following creative elements: - Menu - Summer Catering Flyer - Catering Brochure - Restaurant Brochure - Restaurant Flyer - Business Cards Introduction & Background of the Project 1 Overview

7. Introduction & Background of the Project 2 The Restaurant Early Years Shannon and Dave Lamb are the owners of The Bullfrog Inn, a restaurant located in Quarryville, PA. The restaurant is a very family-friendly with many “regular” patrons frequenting the restaurant on a daily or weekly basis. The restaurant was built in the early 1930s. If walls could talk, there would be plenty of stories to tell, that’s for sure. The establishment has seen all the historical movements over the last eight decades. The owners did not grow up in the area, so background information has simply been gathered over the years from others, with no first hand knowledge. What is known is that it was a social gathering place to include quite a few sporting events, including boxing and basketball. The bolt holes from the boxing rings are still visible to this day in the original hard wood floor. Every now and again, a customer will come in to visit because a grandfather or great uncle participated as an athlete in the 1930’s or ‘40s. Newspapers with headlines of Amelia Earhart and Charles Lindberg were found in the wall when it was being renovated. At one time, a small store was connected to the restaurant. Back in the day, it certainly was a gathering place, so to speak, in the small nook called Georgetown.

8. Introduction & Background of the Project 3 The Restaurant Today Today, the restaurant has become a place for friends and families to visit to have a meal together or meet up for a drink after work. The restaurant’s decor is casual, but owners Dave and Shannon pride themselves on the cleanliness of the restaurant, which is complimented, on a daily basis by customers. Entertainment consists of the occasional acoustic guitar, duos and karaoke. There is a Happy Hour every Tuesday through Friday from 5-6pm with draft specials. In addition, there are beer and food specials during the week as well, including: Tex Mex Night on Tuesday, Burger and Wing Night on Wednesday and Steamed Shrimp and CrabCakes Night on Thursday. Several cooks are part of the Bullfrog’s staff, however, along with owner Shannon Lam, Nancy Ross and Miriam Lam are the three who make it all “happen.” Shannon and Dave believe there are positives and negatives to being located in a small town. It’s positive because everyone knows each other. Shannon and Dave describe the restaurant as having a feel like the show “Cheers,” in relation to the local customer base. On the other hand, the negative is that the restaurant is so far off the beaten path, which means that positive word of mouth is critical for new patrons to enter the restaurant. Foot traffic and drive bys would not keep them afloat. Reaching a larger audience and creating marketing materials is critical for the owners.

9. Introduction & Background of the Project 4 The Restaurant New Services I learned from Shannon and Dave that they would like to begin offering catering services. They certainly have the customer base, the facilities and the licenses to do so, but now they must market their services. The best way for them to begin doing so is to send out a press release with the information to local media outlets. They should also begin an advertising campaign and feature it on their website. Advertising can be accomplished on television, in the newspaper and on the radio. I suggested to first, establish a budget and create a breakdown of places where they would like to/could advertise . I also expressed that they could market both their brand new catering services and their restaurant to local business by sending them a letter to them and including the catering flyer and restaurant brochure. Starting with the Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce’s website of businesses could be a good place to start. I also made the suggestion that they could include a special offer/incentive to visit the restaurant’s location or to use their catering services. Shannon and Dave were also interested in acquiring Wi-Fi to have in the restaurant and wanted my opinion on whether it would be another good marketing tool. (The only other location in the Quarryville area that offers residents Wi-Fi service is the library).

10. Section 2: Preliminary Restaurant Research This section contains valuable information regarding the location of the restaurant compared to Downtown Lancaster, as well as data regarding the demographics of the location. Preliminary Restaurant Research 5

12. Preliminary Restaurant Research 7 Location Map Bullfrog Food & Spirits Downtown Lancaster Using Mapquest.com, I determined that Quarryville’s Bullfrog Inn is located approximately 15 miles or 24 minutes from Downtown Lancaster, by car. The Bullfrog Inn is located off the beaten path, in Quarryville, away from many of the popular hangouts that people would frequent, such as Downtown Lancaster. This can make it difficult to compete with and drive customers to the restaurant. Most likely, they (the customer) is going to a restaurant and bar that they live close to, and do not have to spend a lot of time traveling to.

13. The restaurant needs to market first to the group of people living in Quarryville. Word of mouth can sometimes be the best advertising tool for a business on a very small or virtually no advertising budget. If the restaurant markets to this core group of residents, then those individuals can tell their friends and co-workers how great the restaurant is and encourage them to come there. However, the owners need to also think outside the box, and market the restaurant to the surrounding communities. The restaurant owners need to begin their marketing and name recognition campaign to these residents to come to the restaurant. Reaching a larger audience is a good idea for the owners, and is something they should definitely be doing. Preliminary Restaurant Research 7 Location Map Analysis

15. Currently, Shannon and David advertise in the local paper on a monthly basis. A Facebook page has been started, but it must be maintained along with the website. After speaking with Shannon, she indicated that she would like to be able to update something that is easy for her to do so. I began doing research on the internet about website companies that they would be able to use, as well as companies that would work well for them. In addition, they needed a domain name because they did not have one. In addition, I have made recommendations for them to look back to when considering their advertising campaign and marketing budget. Preliminary Restaurant Research 8 Lancaster County Research

16. Section 3: The Designing a Logo This section includes the nine logo designs and explanations that were created for the owners of the Bullfrog Food & Spirits. Preliminary Restaurant Research 5 The Designing of a Logo 9

17. I met with Shannon and Dave in January and they explained that they were looking for a logo to refresh their look. (They had never really had a logo). They wanted to portray the feeling of warmth, friendships, food and family in the logo. They have a consistent base of customers who regularly come in. They told me their business has grown over the past few years, which is why they believe having a logo, marketing materials and website is important. They were interested in a classy look, but also something fun. I started working on the designs of many different logos and came up with several to show to Shannon and Dave. It was important to be sure that the logo could easily be transferred from color to black and white. I also explained to Shannon and Dave that no matter what kind of graphic we settled on, that we needed to be sure the text was professional and inviting. We began looking next at how we wanted to reproduce the graphic (in order words, should it be in an arch, horizontal, or vertical). It was really important to me to get this right so I could start creating the business cards, press release template, catering flyer and other marketing materials we would be using. Initial Meeting The Designing of a Logo 10

18. This is the first sample I developed for the Bullfrog Inn after speaking with my clients in January. I wanted to get an idea of what they wanted with their restaurant’s business to represent and how I could achieve it through the design of the logo. The explained that the Bullfrog Inn was a place where people in the town of Quarryville frequented for lunch, dinner, or a drink at the bar. When I asked Shannon to describe the restaurant using 4-5 words she told me “Food, Family, Friendships and Fun.” She and Dave were looking for a logo that gave off a warm feel, using colors like reds, greens, browns and dark green but was also classy at the same time. They wanted a frog to be part of the logo design. I created this logo and sample #2 for them originally and sent it to them for feedback. I also sent my committee members, Dr. Nulph and Dr. Hilton the designs as well for some feedback and help. They suggested I think about creating a logo that will work in color and in black and white. They also encouraged me to think about other places the logo would appear, such as on pens, glasses, business cards, letterheads, etc. and advised me that the logo must be simple and say something about the establishment which can be transferred to as many forms of media as possible. They told me to think about what it is I want to portray and how I want it to be successful. In the meantime, I also talked to my client and they had some suggestions for me, which I took as well, and went back to the drawing board. They preferred this logo design over sample #2. Logo Design #1 The Designing of a Logo 11

19. This was my second sample that I sent to Shannon and Dave after our initial conversation. I sent both Sample 1 and 2 in the same PDF so they could tell where they could see this going. It was really helpful for me to get my ideas on paper and show them what it is they were telling me to convey. Shannon and Dave weren’t big fans of this particular logo and liked the previous one instead. Therefore, I began focusing on how to make that one better with the suggestions not only from my committee members but also my clients. Logo Design #2 The Designing of a Logo 12

20. LOGO DESIGN& DESCRIPTION # 3 Next, I decided to go in a completely new direction and think more about simplicity, the look and feel of the restaurant and how to portray them to the public. I have found this is a very daunting task to complete with a client, especially when you do not have a degree in design. I began reading a lot of articles online and taking advice from my professors to begin to rework the logo. I personally really liked the logo and thought it was something that my clients would like. It was simple, it would transfer nicely and I felt like it would be a good fit. Unfortunately they weren’t fans of it, so I again went back to the drawing board. Logo Design #3 The Designing of a Logo 13

21. My clients asked me to revisit logo sample 1. I went back to the drawing board and thought about how to make it better. I decided to remove the background that I had on the previous logo and make it white instead . I also freshened up the greens and browns, and tried to move the frog closer to grass to make it part of the scene. There are nights when the project gets frustrating, but I keep remembering what I am doing what I am doing. I am really passionate about helping the restaurant owners and making sure that they like exactly what I am giving them. I also began to work on ideas for website design and the development of a media list. Logo Design #4 The Designing of a Logo 14

22. LOGO DESIGN & DESCRIPTION # 5 I took the advice of my professors and reworked some of the design aspects of the logo again after speaking with my clients. I changed the outside line to black and added additional artwork for them. I also moved the frog closer to the grass area so it looks like he is actually apart of it now. Shannon and Dave still weren’t exactly set on this logo, but liked the redesign. I decided to again rework the logo. Logo Design #5 The Designing of a Logo 15

23. I combined by first two logos I had originally completed and formed this logo for Shannon and Dave to take a look at. I thought this one utilized both of the graphics they were looking for but also created an inviting feeling for their patrons as well. Shannon and Dave still weren’t completely sold on the logo so I went in yet another direction. Logo Design #6 The Designing of a Logo 16

24. I decided the next best thing to do was to go back to the drawing board and tell Shannon and Dave to do a little research of their own and see what exactly they wanted to see for their restaurant’s new logo. They came across a logo on the Frogtown Inn & 6 Acres Restaurant that they fell in love with. I explained that due to copyright it would be essential to create something different and unique. I asked Dr. Nulph for some feedback on it and he took out the lamppost and inserted a stool instead. Shannon and Dave didn’t exactly love that, and instead liked the lamppost better. I decided to see if my friend, Emily, who is an art teacher, could help me with the drawing of the frog, so it looked original and inviting. Logo Design #7 The Designing of a Logo 17

25. I worked with my friend Emily, who is an art teacher to help me with the drawing of the logo. Shannon and Dave were really happy with it and fell in love with it. I wasn’t completely sold on it, especially with the font, so I knew I still had some work to do. I also needed to begin thinking about colors of fonts and fonts, in general. Logo Design #8 The Designing of a Logo 18

26. Final Design The Designing of a Logo 19

27. This final design was created based on conversations with Shannon and Dave. Specifically, they decided to remove all alcohol from the logo so it was more family friendly. In addition, to create originality, we added the bricks and the different lamppost, as well as adding the owner’s initials D & S on the post. Shannon and Dave are so happy with the final logo and all of the suggestions I have given to them along the way. (For example I suggested that they pull out the red and black from the logo and include the colors at both the top and bottom of all collateral materials that are created. At the bottom of each piece, I suggested we include the contact information – the address, phone, website and email). The only place we decided not to include this was on the website, however, all creative pieces include this information. These documents (Bullfrog Menu, Catering Menu, Press Release, Brochure and Business Cards) can be found under “Documents” on SlideShare. Final Design Explained The Designing of a Logo 20

28. Section 4: Creation of Print Materials An overview of the marketing materials I created for the restaurant. Preliminary Restaurant Research 5 Creation of Print Materials 9

30. Section 5: Media An overview of the marketing materials I created for the restaurant.. Preliminary Restaurant Research 5 Media

31. The Bullfrog Food & Spirits places a generic advertisement monthly in the Lancaster Newspapers. I decided to compare types of media to advertise in and show the benefits versus the negatives to each, and to also show the price breakdowns specifically for outdoor advertising, television and radio. Website Design and Hosting - $6 per month Outdoor Advertising - $1,400-$1,800 for 4 weeks Television – $3,900 per month Radio – Promotions MEDIA Media Current Advertising

32. The Bullfrog Inn did not have a website when I began working with them. This makes it difficult to market their product, the restaurant and their catering services. Since Shannon wanted to be able to edit her website on her own and learn how to update and maintain it by herself, I conducted some online research about website hosting companies that would offer her total control over the design and look of the website. With the small marketing budget that the Bullfrog has allotted, I recommended the company Webstarts after speaking with online support and realizing just how easy it would be for Shannon to do the things she wanted to do on her website. I got started by outlining the information I saw fit to have on the site and what she wanted to convey to the visitors of the site about the restaurant. As a result, we determined that the pages would be Home, About the Bullfrog, Menu, Weekly Specials, Catering and Contact Us. This will be just for now until Shannon and Dave decide where they want go from there. Again, I am just thrilled the restaurant now has a website to use as a marketing tool to reach out to others. Shannon was given a $100 Google ad certificate to use when she purchased her website plan. I did the initial design of the site with them so it has the look and feel that they were looking for. I will continue to make updates for them as long as I need to, but will also be having some training sessions with them, so they will be able to do it themselves. Shannon and Dave decided they wanted their website address to be www.bullfroginngeorgetown.com . I checked to be sure the website address was available, and it was. Once I did this, I sent the link to Shannon, asked her to register for the package (I recommended the package that included 15 possible pages for design) she wanted and then send me the username and password she chose. That way I could successfully re-create all of the pages I had previously created and put the pages up on the actual website now that we had a domain name registered. Media Website

33. WEBSITE In terms of driving customers to their website, Shannon and Dave must now begin networking in the community and telling everyone they know about the website. Conducting research online regarding search engine optimization, led me to find out that the best way to increase search engine results is to have other sites link to yours. The next step would be to add a Links page to the site connecting to other websites and then having them connect to ours. Something I will be working on with Shannon and Dave in the future is to increase their restaurant’s awareness in the public, specifically Lancaster. We must start small before they can get big. Shannon is a full time teacher so once school is over, I will be focusing on some more marketing efforts that she can begin doing since she will have more time on her hands. I will be helping Shannon to draft letters, emails and phone calls to Chamber business members and other local businesses in the community to help drive business to the restaurant. I will also be helping them to get meetings with business owners to promote their catering services. I’m encouraging both of them to attend networking functions and events. We will be doing most of our marketing work and showcasing the materials I have created between the middle of June through the end of August. I will also be training both on how to effectively use Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Media Website

34. I checked with Lamar Outdoor Advertising regarding rates in Pennsylvania and specifically placement in Lancaster County. Jodi Billet is the contact at 717-252-4832. Here are the two most “budget friendly” options I came up with after researching the company: Junior Posters - Smaller posters positioned at street level to gain more traffic exposure. These are purchased in 4 week increments and are available currently in Harrisburg, Reading and York/Lancaster, PA. A 2 panel 5’ x 11’ junior poster is $470 per week for 4 weeks = $1,800. Lancaster Transit - This is known as a shelter, or a bus advertisement which contains backlights for the evening hours. Inventory is available in York, Lancaster and Harrisburg. A one panel 6’ x 4’ shelter is $350 per week for 4 weeks = $1,400. In my opinion, I believe it would be a worthwhile investment. Shannon and Dave should schedule a meeting with Jodi Billet and see if there are other options that could be recommended. Media Outdoor Advertising

35. From my experience working in TV an investment in a television commercial would be a good idea. Yes, television is expensive, however, purchasing a package during a certain time of the year could be helpful for the restaurant. I’ve analyzed a lot of data while I worked at WGAL, the #1 station in the HLLY market. It’s very difficult to find out what the best form of advertising is, because I think that there are quite a few, to be particularly honest. The restaurant needs to penetrate not only Lancaster County, but also draw attention to people in Lebanon, York, Dauphin and Cumberland counties. I really think WGAL would be the best station to do this on because of the dominance seen in Lancaster. I know for a fact that there is a range of pricing and daypart options for Dave and Shannon to choose from, if they decide to go the route of television. I think it would also be a good idea for Dave and Shannon to meet with sales representatives from WHTM and WPMT as well, to see the differences between them. After speaking with Shannon and Dave about the possibility of doing television, they would like to wait on getting prices and working with an Account Executive at this time. I am going to be continuing to build my relationship with both of them and continue to provide services for them. Media Television

37. RADIO FM 97 WLAN (96,9 FM) , located in Lancaster, PA offers the Savory Savings program which offers gift certificates that can be purchased for 1/2 off to listeners. The business provides a certain number of gift certificates for a set amount of money and then listeners can go online and purchase them for 1/2 off. For example, The Bullfrog could provide 10 gift cards for $50 each for patrons to come to the restaurant. Sales contact information for the station would be Stephanie Winseck, Director of Sales, or Julia Armstrong at 717-295-9700 x143. I think this could be a good program for the restaurant to participate in to see how well it goes for them. Media Radio

38. RADIO I created a media list for press release distribution purposes. The first release I sent out was for Catering Services in early May. Once the school year has ended for Shannon (she is a teacher), I would like to meet with her to develop a press release schedule to get the restaurant’s name out to the media on a weekly basis. I plan on conducting this meeting with Shannon the third full week of June once she has wrapped up all of her teaching responsibilities. A copy of the media list can be found on the SlideShare website. Media Press Releases to the Media

39. DEFINING THE CONTEXT, PROBLEM & SOLUTIONS Partnerships to Establish Section 6: Partnerships to Establish As a business owner, it is important to partner with community.

40. Media Partnerships to Establish Southern Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce Shannon and Dave are members of the Southern Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce. They never had a business listing online until a few weeks ago when I suggested to them that they do so. They submitted the following online listing: I was really glad that they did this and took the first step to get their name out there. The next step is that they use the Chamber to put their events on the calendar online, begin attending any Chamber networking events and begin contacting the other members of the Chamber to let them know about their catering services and their restaurant.

41. I was an intern with the York County Chamber of Commerce during the summer of 2006. During that time, I assisted with the implementation of programs, attended all events, assisted with the Partnership Campaign and updated the membership database of contact information. I saw how vital the Chamber is in the life of a small business and how helpful the organization can be when beginning a business. There are many networking opportunities for business people to meet other business people. The company I work for now, First Capital Engineering, has seen many benefits to the Chamber. In fact, the Chamber just started another organization titled Chamberfuel for Chamber members 40 and under to build networking opportunities and to train the future leaders about business and bringing it here to York. I suggest that Shannon and Dave should look into joining the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce to not only begin networking with other local businesses, but to also get their name out there. Beth Gerber is the Membership Director and she can be reached at 717-397-3531. There is at least one member mixer per month (which is free to go to) and a wide variety of other events that they could participate in to gain new business prospects and patrons. The base rate to join is $375.00 for 5 members + $5.60 times the number of employees greater than five. Another thing that Shannon and Dave could do is use the Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce as a guide, and send a letter to the businesses giving an overview of the restaurant and that they are now offering catering services. In the letter, a coupon for a free appetizer or a percentage off of their meal could be included as well as a flyer advertising their catering services. Partnerships to Establish Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce

42. I was also an intern with the PA Dutch Convention & Visitor’s Bureau during the fall of 2007. I worked with all departments, but mainly updating the membership section of the website, the events calendar and newsletters. This is a great organization for Dave and Shannon to get involved with as well. They can help to promote the restaurant, tourism and hospitality not only to people in Lancaster County, but to visitors coming to Lancaster. I would suggest that they speak to the Membership Director at the PA Dutch CVB about how the restaurant could get their name out to members of the CVB. There are member meetings and mixers held each month with this organization as well. Cheryl Deaven, Director of Membership and Community Outreach would be your contact. She can be reached at 717-391-6002. PA DUTCH CONVENTION & VISITOR’S BUREAU Partnerships to Establish PA Dutch Convention & Visitor’s Bureau

43. PA DUTCH CONVENTION & VISITOR’S BUREAU Partnerships to Establish Stony Hill Bed & Breakfast In terms of forming partnerships with hotels or bed and breakfasts, Stony Hill Bed & Breakfast is the only one located directly in Quarryville. It is about 7 miles (or 11 minutes) from the Bullfrog. I have recommended that Shannon and Dave try to partner with the owners and try to do a dinner and stay package, or something similar for guests. Maybe they could offer a 20% discount on meals at the Bullfrog or just simply place their brochure at their location for guests to take and dine at. Contact info: Owners, Dan & Sarah Stoltzfus Website: www.stonyhillbarn.com Phone: 717-786-4337

44. PA DUTCH CONVENTION & VISITOR’S BUREAU Partnerships to Establish Solanco Fair Every year in September the Solanco Fair is held. This year the dates are September 15-17, 2010. I believe it would be a good idea for Shannon and Dave to get involved this year and march in the parade to promote the Bullfrog Food & Spirits. They could hand out coupons along the way or hand out promotional items as well. Either way, this would at least help to get their name out in the community even more. Contact info: Grant Jackson, 717-951-0896 Website: http://www.solancofair.net/

45. Partnerships to Establish Cherry Crest Adventure Farm This is a Lancaster County attraction that is a favorite of families, which would be a perfect partnership for the restaurant to form. Placing their brochures here would be a great way to attract new visitors to the restaurant. It’s only located approximately 9 minutes and 5 miles away. Dave and Shannon should talk to Jack and Donna, the owners who are listed on the website: www.cherrycrestadventurefarm.com .

47. PA DUTCH CONVENTION & VISITOR’S BUREAU Partnerships to Establish Shopping Centers Rockvale and Tanger Outlets: Both of these outlet centers are located along Route 30 and approximately 30 minutes from the Bullfrog. Shannon and Dave should see if their brochure can be placed at the visitor’s center of the outlets in order to attract more restaurant customers.

48. DEFINING THE CONTEXT, PROBLEM & SOLUTIONS Partnerships to Establish Section 7: Project Goals As a business owner, it is important to partner with community.

49. DEFINING THE CONTEXT, PROBLEM & SOLUTIONS Partnerships to Establish The goals of this project