Tomasso Maximizing Hard Rock Equity - Hard Rock Cafe International appoints Chris Tomasso vice president of marketing - Brief Article

Brandweek,  July 16, 2001  by Alissa A. Nolan

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After 30 years of plastering cafe walls with pop culture items and injecting its familiar gold and brown logo into the world's hot spots, Hard Rock Cafe International has enlisted more help. Chris Tomasso, new vp of marketing, brings his own appetite for music into the mix as he steps up from senior director status.

A veteran of the Hard Rock scene, Tomasso has worked with the Orlando, Fla.-based company nearly eight years, beginning as a pr consultant. No stranger to the T-shirt biz, Hard Rock recently launched its Signature Series Ts, for which Tomasso handles all marketing and promotions. The shirts are designed by musicians, such as Tomasso favorites Creed and Matchbox Twenty, and are sold exclusively at Hard Rock Cafes and Hotels. With a cause-related tie-in, Signature T-shirt sales have raised more than $10 million for various artist-chosen charities.

"We've been able to prove that our brand can extend beyond our cafes," said Tomasso. "We've proven that with our hotels and casinos, which have been performing extremely well." Amid new product launches, the group is careful not to leave behind its core business: the eateries. "We just opened another cafe, in Belfast, Ireland, last week' said Tomasso. Plans for six to eight additional restaurants worldwide are in the works, slated to open in the next nine to 12 months. One is planned for Birmingham, England, and other locations have yet to be announced.

"We're right in the middle of a great journey," Tomasso said. "We've just celebrated our 30th anniversary and we're making sure that 30 years from now there will be an even bigger celebration."

COPYRIGHT 2001 BPI Communications, Inc.
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