Hello,
A few days ago, I had one of those “wow, is this real?” moments. I got invited to The Magic Castle. Yes, that legendary magician club in Los Angeles. Houdini, Siegfried & Roy have been here – the real deal. It’s exclusive, mysterious, and really impressive. And somehow, thanks to my friend Jason Latimer (world champion magician – look him up!), some colleagues from the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and I got in. Honestly, moments like this still blow my mind. Just two years ago, I moved to LA with no network, no connections. And now? I’m sipping cocktails where Houdini probably used to hide playing cards under napkins.
But you know me—I’m always wearing my marketing glasses, even at a magician’s table. So here are 3 brand lessons I took from a completely unrelated (but equally magical) place: Carbone, one of NYC’s most iconic restaurants and one of my favorite places in the city. On his podcast, Andrew Schulz interviewed the founder of Carbone and I learned about the story of the restaurant—and now I’m obsessed. Turns out, their hype is no accident. It’s pure marketing genius, down to the last detail.
- Scarcity is the Sauce
Carbone only has around 100 seats. It’s nearly impossible to get a table. Just like Supreme drops or exclusive members clubs, scarcity creates hype. If it’s hard to get in, people want in. - Signature Branding Moments
You need that “I was there” moment. For Carbone, it’s the Spicy Rigatoni—or “Spicy Rig,” as the cool kids call it. It’s served on a custom plate, Insta-worthy and iconic. The menus? Massive—comically oversized. Everything is made to be photographed, shared, remembered. That’s branding done right. - Mystery + Status = Hype Engine
Carbone is wrapped in mystique. Celebs dine there. Drake even rapped about it. Obama’s been. And fun fact: even Justin Bieber once got turned away at the door. That’s when you know it’s elite.
If you’re into branding, storytelling, or just a big foodie, check the podcast out. Here’s a little snippet I loved:
Next Up: New York, Baby!
I’ll be in NYC this June for our next Visionary Dinner. If you’re based in New York (or know someone working at a cool brand we should invite), hit reply! Always down for intros and meaningful convos over pasta and pitch decks. So if you want to be part of it, sign up now.
Last Call for OMR Hamburg!
We’re throwing a dope event on May 5th during OMR in Hamburg. A few guestlist spots are still open—grab yours! Also, here’s a little thank-you gift: use code omr25-bdx for 15 % off OMR tickets (tickets.omr.com). Just for my readers here, valid till Sunday!
That’s it from me this week. Hope you learned something, laughed a little, and got inspired. See you next Friday ✌️
Benjamin
Writer of this newsletter while finishing the last spoon of spicy rigatoni.
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