By CEO/Founder, Dan Bolton Creative Management Agency
As the world starts to emerge from its self-imposed slumber, the landscape we left is very different from the one where we find ourselves in today.
If you were to listen to the mainstream media and the constant drip feed of doom and gloom about the state of the global economy, you would be forgiven for thinking that the world we live in was about to implode any day now.
Whilst it’s undoubtedly true that the global finances are in a precarious position after a number of months where many aspects of the leisure and hospitality industry have been shut down or in operation with severe restrictions, I have always been a strong believer that with every crisis or challenging event comes an opportunity, only you have to work a little harder to find it.
As customers start to venture back out into the wide world again, it has given us the ability to start to re think and question what differentiates us from the mainstream and how we can truly tailor make unique experiences that authentically connect with audiences and satisfy that constant thirst to
experience something different.
For me, Food has always been a piece of theatre. Since the days I started my pre-adult life working weekends in hotels and restaurant kitchens, I was always intrigued by the performances that often took place within the confines of the pass or the restaurant floor, as eccentric characters strived for perfection in ensuring the customer always left with a satisfying experience.
In the last twenty plus years, this experience has steadily evolved as a world of social media and user-generated content creation has ensured that a sensory experience, which initially revolved around taste is now also a feast for the eyes and ears.
Whilst food and drink offerings are undoubtedly the hero, it’s very much the case that the holistic experience is what is essentially now a driving factor in driving increased or continuous footfall into venues and an attractive proposition to ensure our guests enjoy our events.
As human beings we are always on the lookout for that next new thing. Maybe a world where everything is so readily accessible has left us hungry for more, the fear of missing out on that experience you saw your friend share on insta.
That was what has excited me and many others over the years and none more so than the last few months as brands, venues and establishments re-examine ways to innovatively reconnect with audiences and create meaningful experiences and memories.
At the time of writing this piece, we are in the fortunate position to be exploring opportunities with establishments to create totally immersive and all-encompassing culinary experiences that not only tickle the taste buds, but create those meaningful memories and intimate, personal social connections that many of us have been longing for after the disaster that has so far been 2020.
It’s exciting that my late teenage career and early twenties escapades with the circus are now joining, hand in hand, to develop and deliver unique performance-based concepts that truly immerse audiences in a world of fun and colourful theatrics.
From décor to drinks, starters to service, everything is becoming a performance with the entire venue being our stage. Adding to this are the lights and the music, or increasingly the projections and augmented realities where each and every sensory experience is activated and
awakened like never before.
In a new world where we have the ability to be bold and daring, this is the time where can really explore thinking differently and ensuring that we do push the boundaries in creating those experiences and environments which genuinely connect, leaving guests amazed, with their stomachs and souls a little fuller.
