Celebrity Positioning as Market Strategy

“What Sol and Barry created at the Landdrost was remarkable, especially considering that the basic structure had not been designed as a hotel. As usual, Sol was not shy to copy a good idea. The restaurant, Barnato’s, was a knock-off of the Rib Room at the Carlton Tower in London, with a brilliant innovation: a special dining table set up under a chandelier in the heart of the kitchen. Recognising the power of celebrity, Sol set out to position the Landdrost as the hotel of choice for the rich and famous in Joburg. He loaded the new hotel with sumptuously decorated suites and a fabulous nightclub, cheekily called Annabel’s after London’s celebrity-packed disco nightclub. Annabel’s boasted columns around the dance floor that, when the cabaret acts appeared, miraculously disappeared into the glass ceiling.”

“Sol had always been a fan of the entertainment provided in Vegas. He was determined that “his” shows in the Sun City theatre should equal or surpass the high standards set in Nevada. It would require a big budget and a super-sharp professional team of producers and performers.”