Few months ago I remembered reading astonishing news while I studied for my MBA in Australia. A McDonald’s shop was closed after few months of fierce competition from the local bakery. It all happened in Italy and few miles away from where I live. The story got so popular that even the NY Times wrote about it.
Today I went to check out the bread there and I must say it was incredibly tasty.
The first thought that I had was how many times do we forget our local strengths when designining a conference, a social program, but also a concert or a fashion show.
I must admit that sometimes the choice of the location is mechanic and possibly ignorant. I say that because it ignores the local produces and gems. I think that great locations with great local products should be preferred to dull choices. The power of a local product brings people together. Local products have been inherited through the years and represent symbols that capture the unconscious of the participants
My second thought of the day was that leveraging on local products and unique locations helps the environment. Why would you need to source from abroad or even from 200 miles away. Exotic meals and so forth are very cool and maybe you’re guest will love it. But what about serving a bit of reality in your next event and telling the attendees that you are actually concerned about the environment.
So when you’ll find yourself planning for the next location, think have a look at the Altamura bread next to you, and stop staring at that McDonald’s (with all due respect)!
