Moshi Case Study:

Individual Case study

Prepared by

Nada Alturki
1. Question (1) Moshi Case Study Analysis

1. Question (1)

1.1. Core Marketing Dilemmas

• The Paradox of Uniqueness and Ambiguity in a Crowded Market: Moshi’s primary asset
– its unique fusion menu blending Nepalese and Japanese cuisines with Arab, Thai, and In-
dian twists – also became a significant marketing hurdle. While differentiating, this novelty
meant potential customers had no existing frame of reference for Moshi’s offerings. This
lack of precedent made it difficult to communicate value and manage expectations, espe-
cially in a saturated market like Dubai with over 7,500 listed restaurants. The critical ques-
tion was whether this uniqueness was a marketable strength or a confusing proposition for
consumers. Rahul himself acknowledged that while the menu catered to many nationalities,
this also made it hard to pinpoint Moshi’s actual market.

• Brand Identity Crisis and Lack of Clear Positioning: The fusion concept, while reflecting
Dubai’s expatriate culture, led to an unclear brand identity. Moshi struggled with defining
its specific target audience. Was it a casual eatery, a trendy spot for young adults, or a
family-friendly restaurant? While the ambiance aimed for ”cool, comfortable, and trendy”
to appeal to young adults and families alike, the broad menu made it hard to carve a distinct
niche. Khushboo, the head of marketing, specifically pointed out the lack of clear position-
ing regarding its menu. This vagueness posed a risk of Moshi being ”lost in the crowd”
rather than ”stealing their clientele” from more clearly defined competitors.

• The Sustainability of Passive Marketing in a Dynamic Environment: Rahul Sajnani’s ini-

tial reliance on word-of-mouth publicity and his hands-on operational focus, while fostering
customer rapport, proved insufficient for sustained growth and broader market penetration.
His aversion to investing in advertising further compounded this issue. In a dynamic and
competitive market like Dubai, where new restaurants were constantly emerging, a pas-
sive marketing approach was a significant limitation. While online visibility through social
media was maintained, the core strategy lacked proactive reach.

• Educating the Market vs. Meeting Existing Demand: A fundamental challenge was whether
Moshi should focus on educating the market about its novel cuisine or adapt its offerings
to meet existing, more conventional demands. The innovative items, like ”cheesy chips
Oman maki rolls” or ”pero pero mushroom momos,” required a degree of customer educa-
tion that the restaurant was not actively undertaking through its marketing efforts. This
educational gap made it harder for patrons to try new items and for the restaurant to build
a loyal following around its signature dishes.

• Expansion Predicament Amidst Unresolved Core Issues: The plan to open a second restau-
rant in Oud Mehta brought these marketing issues to a critical juncture. Without a clearly

1
2. Question (2) Moshi Case Study Analysis

defined brand identity, target market, and proven marketing strategy for the first outlet,
deciding whether to replicate the Moshi concept or develop something entirely new was a
significant gamble. Expanding without resolving the foundational marketing weaknesses
of the original Al Barsha location could lead to a dilution of efforts and resources. Rahul was
forced to confront whether Moshi was truly in a monopolistic niche or if that was a ”false
notion,” and if the current product range was even conducive to effective segmentation and
marketing for growth.

In essence, Moshi’s marketing challenges were deeply rooted in the difficulty of communicat-
ing and selling a truly novel concept in a diverse and competitive environment with limited
marketing resources and a somewhat passive approach. The owner’s passion for food and
operations needed to be matched with an equally robust and well-defined marketing strategy
to ensure long-term success and brand recognition.

2. Question (2)

Several marketing topics from my semester’s materials are highly relevant to understanding
the challenges Moshi faced. These concepts help frame and analyze the marketing issues
discussed in the case study.

2.1. Applicable Marketing Concepts for Moshi’s Issues

2.1.1. Limited Brand Awareness and Recognition

Moshi, as a new restaurant with a unique menu, struggled to make potential customers aware
of its existence and offerings. The owner’s heavy operational involvement left little time for
dedicated marketing and branding.

Relevant Topics :

• The ”Promotion” aspect of the Marketing Mix, which involves activities that communicate
the merits of the product and persuade target customers to buy it. Moshi needed a more
robust promotional strategy.

• Fundamental principles of creating a Customer Value-Driven Marketing Strategy involve

building brand awareness as a first step in establishing customer relationships.

2
2. Question (2) Moshi Case Study Analysis

• Concepts related to Building Strong Brands, such as developing brand equity and the initial
steps of brand positioning (creating awareness).

• The ”Commercialization” phase within New Product Development Processes, where build-
ing awareness for a new product (or in this case, a new restaurant concept and menu) is
critical. The ”Introduction Stage” of the Product Life Cycle also emphasizes building prod-
uct awareness.

• Elements of Digital Marketing Strategy, including understanding the roles of ”Owned Me-
dia” (like their social media pages), ”Earned Media” (word-of-mouth), and the potential of
”Paid Media” (which Rahul was hesitant about) is relevant to building awareness.

2.1.2. Unprecedented Menu and Customer Uncertainty

Moshi’s innovative fusion dishes had no market precedent, making it difficult for patrons to
understand what was being offered or what to choose.

Relevant Topics :

• Understanding Consumer Markets and Buyer Behavior:

– Customers in the ”Information Search” and ”Evaluation of Alternatives” stages of The

Buyer Decision Process would struggle with unfamiliar offerings.

– Moshi’s menu items are new innovations for many customers, so understanding the
”Adoption Process” (awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, adoption) from The Buyer De-
cision Process for New Products is key.

• Ideas from materials on Products, Services, and Brands:

– Communicating the Product Attributes (”features” and ”quality”) of unknown dishes is

essential.

– Principles of Labeling and Packaging (though for a restaurant this is more about menu de-
scriptions and presentation, the principle of clearly identifying and describing attributes
applies).

• Concepts from materials on Developing New Products:

– Concept Development and Testing: Moshi essentially launched its concepts; perhaps
more concept testing with target consumers could have helped refine descriptions or
identify initial hurdles.

3
2. Question (2) Moshi Case Study Analysis

– Marketing Strategy Development for New Products: The initial strategy needs to ad-
dress how to educate consumers about novel items.

2.1.3. Lack of Clear Market Positioning

The restaurant’s diverse menu, blending Nepalese and Japanese cuisines with other influences,
made it hard to define a specific target market or a clear brand identity. This ambiguity risked
Moshi getting lost among competitors.

Relevant Topics :

• Core tenets of a Customer Value-Driven Marketing Strategy:

– Market Segmentation: Dividing the market into distinct groups. Moshi struggled to
identify its segments clearly.

– Market Targeting: Evaluating and selecting which segments to enter. Moshi’s broad
appeal made targeting difficult.

– Differentiation and Positioning: Creating a clear, distinctive, and desirable place for the
product in the minds of target consumers relative to competing products. This was a core
issue for Moshi.

– Defining a clear Value Proposition: The full mix of benefits upon which a brand is posi-
tioned. Moshi needed to clearly articulate its value proposition.

– Developing a Positioning Statement: Summarizing the company or brand positioning.

• Strategies for Building Strong Brands:

– Brand Positioning: Marketers need to position their brands clearly in target customers’
minds. Moshi’s positioning was unclear.

2.1.4. Over-reliance on Word-of-Mouth Marketing

While initially helpful, relying mainly on word-of-mouth was questioned for long-term growth,
especially with the owner’s reluctance to invest in advertising.

Relevant Topics :

• The ”Promotion” element of the Marketing Mix, which includes advertising, public rela-
tions, personal selling, sales promotion, and direct/digital marketing. Moshi was heavily
reliant on one aspect of PR/earned media.

4
2. Question (2) Moshi Case Study Analysis

• Insights from Digital Marketing Strategy:

– The framework of Paid, Owned, and Earned Media: Moshi utilized owned (social me-
dia) and earned (word-of-mouth) but neglected paid media, which could have accelerated
growth and awareness.

– The importance of setting Ongoing vs. Campaign Goals for a more structured marketing
approach.

• Marketing strategies for the Introduction Stage of the Product Life Cycle, which often
require heavy sales promotion to entice trial and advertising to build awareness among
early adopters and dealers.

2.1.5. Difficulty in Identifying the Target Market

The diverse menu, designed to cater to many nationalities, made it difficult to pinpoint a core
customer base in Dubai’s multicultural environment.

Relevant Topics :

• Principles of Customer Value-Driven Marketing Strategy:

– Market Segmentation: The process of dividing a market into smaller segments with
distinct needs, characteristics, or behaviors. Moshi needed to effectively segment the
diverse Dubai market (e.g., using demographic, psychographic, or behavioral segmenta-
tion).

– Market Targeting: Selecting the specific segment(s) to serve. Moshi’s broad approach
was akin to undifferentiated marketing, which can be difficult if competitors are more
focused.

• Understanding Consumer Markets and Buyer Behavior, particularly the diverse cultural
factors, subcultures, and social classes within Dubai is crucial for effective targeting.

2.1.6. Marketing a Unique and Diverse Offering

The core challenge was how to effectively market Moshi’s uniquely diverse offerings to the
multicultural population of Dubai.

Relevant Topics :

• Developing a Customer Value-Driven Marketing Strategy:

5
2. Question (2) Moshi Case Study Analysis

– Differentiation: Differentiating the market offering to create superior customer value.

Moshi’s uniqueness was a point of differentiation but needed to be communicated effec-
tively.

– Positioning: Arranging for the product to occupy a clear, distinctive, and desirable place
relative to competing products in the minds of target consumers.

• Concepts from materials on Products, Services, and Brands:

– Communicating Product Attributes: Highlighting the benefits of the unique fusion cui-
sine.

– Building Brand Equity: The differential effect that knowing the brand name has on cus-
tomer response. Moshi needed to build positive associations with its unique concept.

• The overall framework of Developing New Products, as Moshi’s menu items were new to
the market.

2.1.7. Expansion Strategy Concerns

Before opening a new restaurant, there were unresolved questions about whether to replicate
the Moshi brand or create a new concept, especially given the existing restaurant’s unclear
positioning.

Relevant Topics :

• Elements of Company-Wide Strategic Planning:

– Designing The Business Portfolio: Evaluating current businesses (the existing Moshi)
and deciding on future ones (the new location).

– Developing Strategies for Growth (such as those outlined in the Product/Market Expan-
sion Grid): Decisions like market development (new location with existing concept) or
diversification (new location with new concept) would be considered here.

• The importance of a clear Customer Value-Driven Marketing Strategy before expansion,

as the choice of targeting strategy (undifferentiated, differentiated, concentrated) for the
new location would depend on how these foundational issues are resolved.

• Brand Strategy considerations, including decisions about brand development, such as line
extensions (same brand, new items/location) or new brands.

By applying these concepts from my course materials, a comprehensive analysis of Moshi’s

marketing challenges and potential solutions can be developed.