Air France Uses Social Media Effectively via NYC Food Truck

One has to have one’s head stuck in the ground not to recognize how massively marketing within the industry has been affected by social media. From Facebook to LinkedIn, there seems to be a nearly endless array of access points. Yet the critical question seldom addressed is how to use the new technology effectively. 

For four days in March this year, Air France USA showed New York City that they know how to use the new components of the Internet by creatively combining texting and great cuisine with Facebook and food trucks.    

Starting with a menu created by Michelin rated Chef Joel Robuchon, an Air France food truck moved out onto the streets of New York, it’s arrival destination pre-announced via Twitter and Facebook. Driving the near viral number of emails that started to zip through Manhattan was the fact that the first class cuisine to be served would be FREE!

Was Air France serious – premiere grilled beef filets garnished with a wine truffle sauce and then smoked salmon and shrimp rondelles for FREE? Absolutely! And here’s why: Through the efforts of the chefs preparing the elegant cuisine (Jacques Lalzace, Paulo Ferreira, Eric Augustine, Henri Alcade and Michel Quissac) Air France USA:

• Gained world-wide marketing exposure
• Obtained thousands of e-mail contact lead addresses
• Localized the image of Air France by requesting diners donate to City Harvest
• Shared with over 3,000 lucky individuals, literally, the taste of first class service on Air France.

Not bad for a single day’s work. Now that’s modern marketing at its best.

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011

NYC Food Trucks Go Big Time with a Union and a Lobbyist

We recently shared with our readers that upscale food trucks were one of the elements currently influencing emerging food trends. Proof that these rolling ethnic kitchens are here to stay (and increasing in popularity) is the fact that in New York City food truck owners have formed a representative trade group and hired a lobbyist.

A total of thirty-two culinary entrepreneurs, who street market everything from uniquely flavored ice creams to the very popular Korean tacos, have contracted with Cacalino and Company to represent their concerns from quicker food licensing to street parking rights.

David Weber, president and a co-owner of the Rickshaw Dumpling Trucks, believes the move is necessary as there is a negative stigma from former eras that doesn’t fairly apply to contemporary gourmet food trucks.

Disregarding any past negative marketing images, currently even some established restaurants are currently investing in this hot new food outlet format. 

Some food trucks have, indeed, become so popular they’ve “lost their wheels” and become a traditional brick-and- mortar restaurant.  

Changes can’t come too soon as the daily increase in the number of trucks intensifies the struggle for parking places between vendors. Added to the mix is the decision by New York City to ban the trucks from metered parking areas, all the while adding more car-only meters daily to increase the city's declining revenue funds.

Let’s hope it all works out and that there’s space and a place in the Industry for everyone willing to create and care about quality and innovation. 

Post Note, November 2, 2011: As they say there's an app for everything soon or later and now that's true regarding your favorite food truck.

Tweat.it has just launched their new app which will enable hurried hungry diners to find the location of their favorite NYC food truck quickly. Hopefully the app will soon expand to other cities worldwide so we can all catch our favorite eat on the run.

Your Culinary World copyright Ana Kinkaid/Peter Schlagel 2011