Date of Graduation

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Business Administration

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Marketing

Advisor/Mentor

Harris, Flint

Abstract

The baking and culinary industry is growing. In fact, in 2020, the market size of the global baking industry was $331.37 billion and is projected to reach $436.91 billion by 2026. Although the recent pandemic made those in the hospitality field struggle due to the canceling of special events such as birthday party gatherings, weddings, and holiday events, the industry is coming back stronger than pre-pandemic times through implementing new practices such as online ordering and delivery practices. With this, in the recent years, supply chain disruptors and inflation have caused materials and labor costs to increase and can be difficult on profit margins, especially for small businesses such as Bliss Cupcake Cafe (Boyarsky). However, Bliss has been able to continually grow and change with the times for the better, which has helped them stay successful throughout their 14 year run in Northwest Arkansas (NWA).

Bliss Cupcake Cafe opened their doors to the public in Fayetteville, AR in 2009. They also have franchise stores in Rogers, Fort Smith, and Jonesboro, AR. They bake cupcakes every morning from scratch and have at least three gluten free options daily. They also have over 50 cupcake flavors available, as well as custom cakes, for special order purchase. Recently Bliss has been struggling with gaining interaction from customers on all social media accounts, but especially on Instagram and Twitter. They would also like to prioritize the importance of gaining top-of-mind awareness for bakeries/desserts in NWA. As a front counter employee at Bliss, I have observed the business’ operations first-hand and conducted secondary research to develop solutions that will help Bliss Cupcake Cafe improve its marketing efforts and overall awareness. I propose my ideas in the form of a creative brief and strategic pitch.

Keywords

Advertising; Cupcake; Northwest Arkansas

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