I write this between bites of my hand tossed, stone baked, bespoke Margherita pizza, a thin-crust culinary masterpiece topped with organic, garden fresh, locally sourced toppings. Not really. I am noshing on previously frozen Rolling Pizza Kitchen slices left over from last month. I just wanted to use the word bespoke in context.
After all, one must keep up with the times.
Bespoke products and services are the rage. But what does the term really mean? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, bespoke means: Specially made for a particular person. The Meriam Webster Dictionary defines it as custom made.
Bespoke has long been used to describe custom tailored clothing and jewelry, items made to the specifications of a particular customer. Nowadays, the “b word” seems to have lost its way. For instance, would you describe your home appliances as being custom made to your specifications? Samsung thinks so. It has a whole line of bespoke appliances.
“Look Mildred, they made this drier just for me; it has my favorite, wrinkle free cycle.”
The “b-word” is everywhere; it is the new gourmet. The adjective, gourmet, has long been used to describe (supposedly) premium quality food products. It suggests that a particular item is expertly, or elaborately prepared. It means very little. One can buy gourmet hot dogs, popcorn, even potato chips. All mass produced but, somehow, still gourmet concoctions.
So, the next time you hear/read that “Product Y” is bespoke, remember your Marketing 101 lessons. Unless your local restaurant or bakery is selling Product Y, it is probably not custom-made. Instead, it is another mass-produced item positioned to command a premium price.
Caveat emptor.
Peter has spent the past twenty-plus years as an acting/consulting CFO for a number of small businesses in a wide range of industries. Peter’s prior experience is that of a serial entrepreneur, managing various start-up and turnaround projects. He is a co-founder of Keurig.
