LYCEUM-NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

MARKETING MANAGEMENT

MARKETING MANAGEMENT: CASE STUDY ON EPISODE BAR AND KITCHEN

OWNER
RENDON LABADOR

PRESENTED BY:

JEROM RUSLAN LANIOHAN

MBA STUDENT

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LYCEUM-NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
MARKETING MANAGEMENT

SUMMARY
The recently opened and now-closed restaurant of purported motivational speaker and
businessman Rendon Labador has received a deluge of unfavorable comments from
online users.
The grand opening of Episode Bar + Kitchen happened on March 25, 2023, a Saturday.
Entertainment acts including Paolo Santos, LILY, and SUD, to name a few, performed
at the event. However, according to Rendon, none bought a ticket for the opening of his
new resto.
He put the blame to fans of actor-director Coco Martin. Recall that he received a lot of
internet criticism for his harsh statements towards the star of FPJ's Batang Quiapo
before the sports bar even opened. He asserted that the series' filming in Quiapo had a
significant negative impact on the livelihood of the local traders.
His restaurant, Episode Bar + Kitchen, declared it would be temporarily closed two days
after it had opened. Some online users asserted that it might be because they had zero
ticket sales when they first opened. In a post, Rendon disclosed that he spent 1.2
million pesos on the launch of his restaurant. Despite the criticisms he has been
receiving, Rendon boasted that his resto is the number 1 sports bar in the country.
However, his claim is being contradicted by the reviews and rating of netizens.
The grand opening also coincided with Blackpink’s concert, which could have been a
factor for people not showing up. Rendon’s takeaway from this whole saga is that he’ll
be stronger than before.

It’s always disheartening to see any business, big or small, fail, especially as they
create jobs for people. We sympathize for the employees who are temporarily out of
jobs due to Episode Bar + Kitchen’s temporary closure.

We hope that the owners will use this setback as an opportunity to reflect, learn, and put
their heads together to come back stronger with only positive energy. As they say,
failure is not the end but the beginning of a new journey towards success. We look
forward to seeing Episode Bar + Kitchen bounce back and create a better experience
for its customers, while providing employment opportunities for the community.

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LYCEUM-NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
MARKETING MANAGEMENT

STRENGTH:

 Biggest Sports bar in Quezon City

  Able to generate a highly predictable stream of revenue on a weekly basis
 The high gross margins generated from cells typically produce a very
strong return on investment that concurrently allows these businesses to
satisfy any underlying debt obligation that was required in order to launch
the operations of the sports bar
 These businesses also have readily available access the capital given the
fact that they are able to produce profits that can sustain a business loan.
 The bar’s interior is designed to cater to a diverse range of customers
 Episode Bar + Kitchen has a whopping 1600mbps internet connection
allowing for flawless live streaming events.

WEAKNESS:
 Most sports bars do have high operating costs as it relates to the rental
expense, personal expense, and the ongoing need to acquire food
inventories.
 As with any food service business, inventory spoilage is always an issue.
 There are numerous laws and not need to be conformed to as it relates to
the sale of alcohol on the premises.

OPPORTUNITIES:
 It is the only sports bar and restaurant in the Philippines where customers
can enjoy Michelin-Star Chef Giancarlo Ibañez’s dishes.
 many entrepreneurs will to develop additional sports bar locations if their
initial facility is very successful. 
 these businesses can readily expand by simply establishing additional
locations outside of the initial target market radius.
 These businesses can also post specialized nights including game nights
which can create a substantial amount of additional traffic into the
business on an ongoing basis. 

THREATS:
 Bad reviews due to high price products like the Motivational Rice cost 100
pesos per cup
 The motivational speaker refused to apologize for his statement against
Coco Martin and other celebrities as it receives 1.1 rating.

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LYCEUM-NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
MARKETING MANAGEMENT

 Ongoing competitive issues given that most target markets have a number
of sports parts and operation. It is imperative that these businesses are
able to differentiate themselves from other competitors within the market.

 Economic threats are also a risk for the business given that during times
of an economic recession – revenues of these entities may decline slightly

MARKETING STRATEGY:

 Televise Pay-Per-View Events - One of the most common ways sports

bars pack ‘em in is by hosting pay-per-view events. Customers will turn
out in droves for fight night, instead of shelling out hefty pay-per-view fees
themselves. To take these event nights to a more exclusive level, consider
charging admission or making them reservation-only.
 Avoid bashing other people just for fame – One way to maintain good
reviews and high ratings is to promote properly your business through
word of mouth and not destroying others.
 Sponsor a Local Team or Host Sports Leagues and Events - See it as
an opportunity to endear your establishment to the surrounding
community. Offer drink specials for team members who come in wearing
their uniform, or half-off apps if they win the big game.
Host sports events in partnership with local leagues By offering prizes and
encouraging teams to sign up, they bring new business to the bar every
week and establish more regulars.
 Offer Drink and Menu Promotions During Big Games - For big sporting
events like the Super Bowl or the Olympics, patrons have their fair share
of sports bars to choose from. To attract fans to your stools, offer special
drink and menu promotions.
 Invest in online targeted ads and local advertisements.
 Partner with local businesses to cross-promote events and specials .

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LYCEUM-NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
INSTITUTE OF GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
MARKETING MANAGEMENT

REFERENCES

 https://hqmanila.com/episode-bar-kitchen-grand-opening/

 https://pinoytrend.net/2023/03/29/episode-bar-kitchen-restaurant-ni-rendon-
labador-inulan-ng-one-star-review-mula-sa-netizens/

 https://bizfundingresource.com/2019/03/sports-bar-swot-analysis