CSA : Alison Roman
Alison Roman
CROSS SECTIONAL ANALYSIS (CSA) : A deep dive into the marcom behind notable + interesting brands. What’s the strategy + impact?
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+Details:
Self-described as “a Brooklyn-based cook, writer and author of the New York Times best seller Nothing Fancy as well as the regular best seller, Dining In.”
But she’s as much a personality as she is a writer. A foodie thought-leader in her own right. One of the original Bon Appetit editors who cultivated the BA brand of non-chef, culinary influencers.
I’m ready for the Alison E. Roman television series.
+Mapped Out:
Booklyn-based. Very New York. But originated in The Valley which makes her even more relatable TBH.
+Brand Synopsis:
The appeal of Alison Roman is reminiscent of Peppito from the 1998 classic Francis McDormand film Madeline, when all the school girls are looking out the window sighing “he’s got charisma..” What a pivotal moment. Scrolling through Alison Roman’s instagram is similar to that. Technicolor, VSCO-filtered charisma.
It’s relatively intangible, and yet palpable enough to fuel massive NYT bestselling cookbooks.
Should we touch on the loss of her NYT’s article? Maybe. But perhaps I’ll save that for my CSA on Cancel Culture.
+Comp Set:
There seems to be a plethora of individuals ambling to be #AlisonRoman. I myself have to refrain from attempting high rise Levis, coral Essie nail polish, and a full Madewell wardrobe. I’ll omit the full list of mimicking female foodies so as to avoid pettiness around the holidays, but let’s just say that I’ve had to unfollow a couple of BA editors. All this to say, I suppose flattery is the best compliment and the ultimate goal.
But let’s assess the food writers who are thoroughly doing their own thing, the scale seems to start with Overwhelming Seriousness to Complete & Utter Campiness; neither of which is easy to connect with as an amateur chef who consistently adds twice as much salted butter than recommended.
+Financials:
One of my favorite things about Alison Roman is that she discusses her financials. She makes comments about how hard it is to launch a book when you need to use the deposit to fuel photography and travel. How hard it is to save as an aspiring creative. All the odd jobs it requires to climb F&B, creative ladders - something that very few who aren’t in the hospitality industry understand.
Women need to be talking about money, and I appreciate those who can do so with earnest sincerity and class.
+MarCom Channels:
Email Newsletter:
Cookbooks:
Podcasts
The full list
Some of my favs include:
Interviews
Website
And the aforementioned, infamous NYT article & YouTube series which convinced me to subscribe to NYT and is dearly missed.
+Aesthetics:
There’s absolutely a modern-day hipster component at play here, but what I love most is the unapologetic vibes. Huge BDE embodied by a uniform of high-rise denim and red lipstick.
+The Emotional Connection:
Authenticity is a taboo word nowadays, so let me attempt to reframe it: she makes me feel like it’s okay to be a strong, imperfect, female creative. I mean, I know people tell you that all the time, but it’s typically with a coo of sympathy. It’s totally fine that you X, Y, Z. Alison Roman finds success through her sincerity. It’s no longer “imperfection” but … well, shoot, authenticity.
“If you look closely, you can see the cat hair adorning the crème fraîche on my otherwise perfect latke. 2020, folks.”
“Even cowgirls get the blues, even my galettes leak and burn onto the sheet pan, etc. Details for this juicy one (and how to prevent what just happened to me re: the leaking) in this weeks newsletter, going out Thursday. Link to sign up in the profile.”
“Today for @nytcooking its salmon with a whole lemon dressing and absolutely NO STORY. I genuinely have not one clever thing to say about it and I spent 500 words telling you why…”