Week 4 Part A: Defining Target Markets

 

 The comparison of Subway with Hungry Bear Deli is of David and Goliath proportions. Subway is everywhere in the world from the USA to its recent expansion into Indonesia. It has numerous celebrity endorsements in its marketing campaigns to attract customers from a wide sports base. This September, it had a surprise promotion in Charlotte, North Carolina, whereby Nascar driver Kevin Harvick delivered Subway to random customers in anticipation of an upcoming race. Subway's "Eat Fresh, Refresh" campaign kicked off on July 13, 2021 with one million six inch Turkey Cali Fresh subs being given away free from 10 AM to noon. The campaign has the endorsement of the following sports figures: Stephen Curry, Serena Williams, Megan Rapinoe, and Tom Brady. Earlier in the summer Subway had the Tony Hawk "Drop In To Win" contest. Contestants needed to show their best skate trick while shouting out their favorite sub build and showing a picture of the footlong sub. Subway also has a couple of webpages dedicated to describing its commitment to supporting the following causes and practices: environmental, animal, and worker welfare; sustainable fishing, agriculture, and packaging; humanitarian relief; resource conservation; energy efficiency; water conservation; waste reduction; zero landfill waste; and climate action. There is also a special section dedicated to their support of Veterans. The customer base for Subway is quite a large and varied one.

Hungry Bear Deli, being a neighborhood deli and sandwich shop in Vista, is of a totally different proportion. Their menu features home made food and recipes consisting of the following: deli sandwiches, subs, burger subs, omelet sandwiches, salads, and kids sandwiches. The meat is advertised as being fresh and hormone free. Hungry Bear has many true deli favorites such as a Reuben, Philly Cheesesteak, Greek and Italian sandwiches, and steak subs. In addition, you can buy bags of Kosher dill spears in various sizes. They have been featured on Channel 10 News for having the best subs and sandwiches in San Diego. There is also a post about their support of local law enforcement with free sandwiches and salads being offered all weekend in honor of National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. The customer base for Hungry Bear Deli is clearly that of San Diego County.

The similarities between Subway and Hungry Bear Deli are in their menu offerings. Both businesses feature sandwiches made from fresh, hormone free products that you can build to your own specifications. Both sites also have pictures of sandwiches filled with a lot of meat. They each offer a breakfast menu, kids menu, and salad menu with a variety of choices. Both sides and drinks menus offer a variety of drinks for adults and children, chips, and cookies.

The most glaring difference between Subway and Hungry Bear Deli is that Subway is an international chain complete with a multitude of marketing strategies present on its website, while Hungry Bear Deli is a neighborhood family run sandwich shop. Subway's "Eat Fresh, Refresh" menu changes and 15% off call to action are prominently featured. Using the Subway app or website to have food delivered or be ready for pickup is another distinctive feature offered by Subway. Their prices are quite economical and about one-half to one-third less than Hungry Bear's prices. Hungry Bear offers a real deli experience with original and traditional sandwiches and subs. It is a place you can go sit down and enjoy your favorite deli sandwich, salad, or burger.  The kids menu features two all time classics, grilled cheese and peanut butter and jelly. They also offer a wide selection of Italian meat sandwiches, one of which is a mortadella sandwich. This beloved sandwich is not an easy sandwich to find on any sandwich shop's menu, and it is one that will ensure a steady stream of loyal customers.

As a sandwich lover I would patronize both businesses. If I didn't have much money or time, I would certainly get a sandwich either through the Subway app or in person. If I was looking for a pleasant experience with authentic food, I would definitely visit Hungry Bear Deli. I would surely be a Hungry Bear Deli regular if I lived in the Vista neighborhood too.

Hungry Bear Deli has a large local fan base as is evidenced by its 4.5 star Yelp rating from 834 reviews and the 1736 pictures posted displaying its menu offerings. The delicious food pictured really sells itself as quality homemade food. Subway's current 15% off call to action promotion is sure to attract a lot of budget conscious consumers looking for a healthy meal. The current zero dollar delivery fee for orders through the app or website is another attractive offer. In addition, there's a Subway Rewards Program whereby devoted customers can earn tokens with each purchase, that can be applied for money off on a future order. I would like to add that while Subway is obviously a money making international business, there's nothing wrong with being a beloved local business. It comes down to a matter of preference.