Good marketing

Last week the Guardian highlighted a restaurant in York which has begun attracting different customers to its previous clientele. Scotts Fish and Chips has seen an influx of Chinese tourists wanting to go there for a meal during their holiday. How did a relatively small restaurant on an 'A' road on the outskirts of York become such a hotspot for tourists? Some excellent marketing and seemingly knowing how to reach potential customers in the right way.

Scotts capitalised on Xi Jinping's visit to the UK in 2015, where the Chinese President shared some fish and chips and a pint with David Cameron. The restaurant launched a website in Mandarin and also started promoting itself on Weibo and WeChat, two of the biggest social media networks in China.

This goes to show the importance of using the right channels to connect with the right audience. Scotts realised the strengths of their location and cuisine, tailored some of their communications to the Chinese market and are reaping the benefits. Staff are even learning Mandarin to help communicate better with their new customers. They've gotten some good PR out of it, with the Guardian and others such as the BBC and the Telegraph covering the story.

Scotts have taken advantage of their convenient location for Chinese tourists visiting York, and the business seems to be booming as a result. Credit to whoever is in charge of their marketing.

Serie A returns

Serie A kicked off again this past weekend. All eyes were on Juventus for Cristiano Ronaldo's competitive debut in the league. He didn't manage to score a goal, and time will tell how much of a success he will be. He is 33 now, so is not at the peak of his powers, and Serie A is traditionally known for having some of the toughest defending in the world, but who would write him off? Once he scores one it would not be a surprise to see him go on a scoring spree. His progress will be one of the most interesting things to watch this season.

Inter started off their season with a defeat. Sassuolo are a bit of a bogey team, having won five of the last seven matches they've played against us. They are a good side, with players like Domenico Berardi and recently signed Kevin Prince Boateng, the flamboyent Ghanaian, who has recently released a rap song.

Following a very active transfer window which included intriguing signings such as Radja Nainggolan, Keita Balde Diao and Lautaro Martinez (although unfortunately not Luka Modric or Arturo Vidal), many expect Inter to make a title challenge this year. However, having been a fan for over 20 years I've seen us sign many world-class players and still under-perform greatly, so I've not raised my expectations too high. It will also take time for the new signings to gel. Perhaps the best we can hope for is to get through the group stage of the Champions League and finish in the top four in the league again. Either way, welcome back Serie A. Let's hope for a fun ride.