"Media" Dinner?

Devon Seafood Grill hosted a "media dinner" recently. Apparently, "media dinner" means "invite a group of bloggers to a fancy free meal and get good publicity". The linked blog post doesn't say whether or not the media had to pay for their meal, but I'm assuming not.

This concept of "media dinner" seems like a pretty easy way for a restaurant to drum up some good reviews and positive buzz. Kudos to Devon's PR manager.

Best,
Michael

I suppose it's both better and less offensive than Wagstaff's tactics.

eatchicago wrote:This concept of "media dinner" seems like a pretty easy way for a restaurant to drum up some good reviews and positive buzz. Kudos to Devon's PR manager.

Only if the food is good.

But it is certainly better than posting shill reports here (is "posting shill reports" right? Maybe I should have said "better than shilling here".)

Mhays wrote:I suppose it's both better and less offensive than Wagstaff's tactics.

You're quick!

Darren72 wrote:Only if the food is good.

I don't even think the food needs to be that good, it just needs to be not awful. If you put 15 people at a table and give them a really nicely presented free meal, I bet at least half of them would say it was "very good", even if it was just ok. Even if one or two people thought it was not good, they probably wouldn't go write about it if they didn't have to pay for it.

I really think it's a no-lose situation for the restaurant. Smart.

Best,
Michael

Mhays wrote:I suppose it's both better and less offensive than Wagstaff's tactics.

Absolutely. I'm not saying there's anything wrong at all with what Devon is doing. In fact, I'm applauding them for making themselves available and finding ways to generate buzz without being underhanded.

But, I'm not putting too much value in a restaurant reviews generated by events like this.

No amount of positive PR can change the word association in my head -- every time I think Devon Seafood Grill, I think "Fred Grobster." I just can't help it.

eatchicago wrote:But, I'm not putting too much value in a restaurant reviews generated by events like this.

Yes, indeedy - my assumption would be that reports on this event give me a lot of information about the bloggers and not much about the restaurant.

eatchicago wrote:This concept of "media dinner" seems like a pretty easy way for a restaurant to drum up some good reviews and positive buzz. Kudos to Devon's PR manager.

Like that is a big surprise? Restauranteurs have been doing that for years. Give a free meal out to a front desk clerk and watch the people flow in. Give a meal to a good customer who you know is on the internet and watch the reviews flow in.

Criticize certain restaurants online and certain screen names appear to tell you that you have it all wrong. Especially on that other board.

As long as the writer discloses that they were at a media dinner (which I always assume is comped) I don't really have any issue with the practice. It's up to the reader how much stock they want to place in what was written.

There have been media dinners written up on LTH. I trust that people around here do the right thing and disclose the circumstances of such dinners when appropriate.

As long as the writer discloses that they were at a media dinner (which I always assume is comped)

Unfortunately many denizens of the blogosphere are often not very particular about traditional journalistic ethics (heck, traditional journalists nowadays are often not very particular about traditional journalistic ethics). As with most current media flow, it always helps to be familiar with (and, if not, skeptical of) sources of info.

Well, Devon Seafood Grill has made a remarkable turnaround... if the media dinner reports are to be believed.

The praise is rolling in. Hurrah!

eatchicago wrote:The praise is rolling in. Hurrah!

gapersblock wrote:Things started, as they always should, with drinks. The cocktail menu is long and interesting -- equal parts fun and fancy, as one would expect in such a lovely, liquid space as Devon's lower level bar.

I'm glad to see that Devon adhered to Rule #1: Get your guests good n' liquored before you serve them food. The food will always taste better afterwards.

What stuck out to me about the gapersblock review was that the writer's stated initial skepticism about Devon had to do with its Mag Mile location and her perception of it being a "Cheesecake Factory with fish." While these notions may have aided this person's negative impression of Devon, I find it convenient that she didn't add that lukewarm reviews across the board might also have kept her from paying for a meal there.

But I agree with eatchicago that this is a win-win situation for Devon. Bravo!