“Please stay on the grass!” Article by Louise Julig…

Digging, crawling, climbing and building are natural modes of exploration for kids, and they’re all encouraged at the new Hamilton Children’s Garden, which opens this month at San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas.

Coachella Valley restaurateurs are coming together in an unprecedented way to create one large-scale dining event that could give them a needed boost in sales this summer.

Click here for the full article

Businesses everywhere are struggling to understand and satiate the emotional cravings of the X and Y generation, now recognized as a critical market segment.  Perhaps we can learn some lessons on marketing by eating out in our own backyard.  Marketing pioneer Lisa Johnson, CEO of the Reach Group, identifies five key emotional cravings of the X and Y generations as experience, transparency, reinvention, connection and expression. North County restaurants and grocers such as Vigilucci’s, Firefly Grill and Wine Bar, Calypso and Seaside Market are hitting the mark when it comes to attracting young patrons in these generations. They are succeeding in satisfying both the emotional and sensory cravings to build a loyal and active customer base.  

Challenge: Zenzi was tasked by the California Restaurant Association to direct all marketing, public relations and advertising efforts. Zenzi established several goals for the event: to elevate San Diego’s reputation as a dining destination among local San Diegans and visitors alike, expose restaurants to new patrons, boost sales during a traditionally slow time of year, engage local community to explore new restaurants and maximize attendance during the event.  

ZENZI was hired by Hilton San Diego Mission Valley to promote and publicize the $20 million renovation of hotel facilities and grand opening of its brand new gourmet restaurant STISH.  Hilton wanted to raise its profile in the corporate and meeting/ events industries and become a known destination for business and conference travelers in San Diego.