As an ex Preter or Pretee (if that is the right phrase), I am extremely blessed and proud to not only have worked on one of the best brands the world has seen, but with the raft of talent within it. From the genius creatives to the super people team who keep putting those aces in places to the ops, product and food teams who are relentless on improving what they have and happening upon the next category-defining food (as they did with miso soup, good espresso, crayfish and rocket sandwiches and of course the porridge).
Since setting up my own agency a year and a half ago, I still pretty much talk about Pret or am asked about it on a daily basis by brands big and small, in and out of sector. And not just in terms of marketing or the brand. People want to know what a day in the life of a Preter is like, where they find those ‘Pret people’ and how they find their next shop.
The fact is that the whole of the UK (and our industry even more so) are completely head over heels in love with Pret and why would they not be? It is as dear to the hearts of the UK as Marks and Spencer and John Lewis are. They are now at national treasure status.
The success is simple:
1) Never making compromises on ingredients
2) Always hiring ‘Pret’ people (vetted by the
teams in store)
3) Having a clear vision (from a visionary) Julian Metcalfe on focusing on creating ‘food worth walking 10 minutes in the rain for’
4) Investing properly in marketing and trusting your people to do it right (don’t cut any corners)
5) Always doing the right thing for the customer and the teams. Always
You can just feel and see the influence they have everywhere you look around any high street. As much influence as the Beatles and/or Elvis did for modern music. The fascias, communications, product range, store layouts, POS, packaging – very few are as confident and as together as Pret’s. Will anyone be able to take a similar concept to the heady heights of 300-plus stores (I am very doubtful).
I just hope I am of an age where in a few years, another brand will really shake it all up and ‘do an Apple’, but until then I will be hearing the inevitable phrase most days ‘What would Pret do?’. The plain answer is you probably won’t if you try to follow them. But if you take a step back and put some real investment, thought and effort into tapping into the zeitgeist like some of the newer cooler brands have (MeatLiquor et al), go your own way, trying to break new ground to own the next three decades as the founding fathers (and mothers) of sandwich shops have done since 1986.
Mark McCulloch is currently head of marketing consultancy firm WeAreSpectacular. His past roles include head of brand/marketing at lastminute.com, YO! Sushi, Barclaycard and Pret A Manger
