Einstein Bros. Bagels: Competitive Analyses

The way Einstein Bros. Bagels fulfill one's hunger desires is quite unique, as they also fulfill emotional desires. Sometimes customers simply need a pick-me-up, a positive experience to help them get through the day. So they go to Einstein because they know that the product they receive is going to be of high quality. The bagel is going to make their stomach full of not only dough and shmear, but wholesome goodness! That goodness breeds happiness, and that happiness results in a satisfied customer.

Other companies, such as Sara Lee, do not have that emotional connection to the customer. Einstein knows that "people's motives for consumption might be based on meeting emotional needs" (Advertising by Design, Robin Landa, pg. 62).

One similarity between Einstein and Sara Lee is that both companies do not advertise everywhere and in every way. When representing something as simple yet essential as bread, it is important to not bombard the consumer with ads. Rather, trust (for the most part) that the customer will continue to buy your product. Honestly, what is life without bread, especially bagels? Both companies have faith in their supports, or something that "backs up a claim" (Advertising By Design, Robin Landa, pg. 64): you need our product to survive. What backs this up? Well, try going weeks on end without having your Asiago Cheese bagel with Garden Veggie shmear and you'll see what I mean. Some things are just too delicious and wonderful to give up. So don't give up your bagel! Go to Einstein and put a smile on your face.

Another great marketing technique Einstein uses is the cute cartoons of the "Einstein Brothers". Though the founders of the Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc. were not named Einstein, the fact that the company attached "mascots" to their chain makes it that much more personable. You don't see any of the other big-name bread companies using this method to draw customers in. And that is just one of the many reasons why Einstein Bros. Bagels is the most successful bagel brand around!

With the kind of success Einstein has constantly had, there really is nowhere to go but higher up! One way the company can improve is by advertising just a bit more. It's not going to be through guerilla advertising of any kind. We'll be slightly subtle and continue to be as casual as ever. Let's reach out to our already-loyal customers by giving them a "punch card". It's a great rewards system that keeps 'em coming back. Here's how it will work: There are ten pictures of bagels on a card. For every bagel (excluding Bagel Buckets, which have 13 bagels PLUS two shmear tubs) a customer purchases, one of the bagels on the card gets hole-punched. When every bagel is punched, the customer gets a free bagel of their choice. It's simple, yet effective.