The Power of Restaurant Video Marketing: A Case Study with Bar Goodfortune
Restaurant video marketing often gets reduced to one of two things
glossy food shots or a general brand feel. But what happens when you do both?
For Bar Good Fortune, the goal wasn’t just to capture the menu or just to capture the atmosphere—it was to create a complete digital experience that mirrors what it feels like to be there.
This meant two different approaches to two different videos:
A visually driven menu showcase—highlighting signature dishes and cocktails with crisp, high-end shots designed for social media engagement.
An atmosphere-driven brand film—shot during a night out with a crew, pulling viewers into the energy of the space, making them feel like they were already sitting at the bar.
The result? A measurable increase in weekend reservations and social media engagement.
The Numbers: What Video Did for Bar Good Fortune
The biggest question any business asks before investing in video content: Will it actually do anything for us?
For Bar Good Fortune, the answer was clear.
📈 Weekend reservations increased by 22% in the weeks following the release of the videos.
📈 Instagram engagement on video posts tripled, compared to static food photography.
📈 Short-form content from the shoot saw a 35% higher share rate than previous posts, meaning more people spreading the brand.
The content wasn’t just watched—it was acted on. And that’s the difference between aesthetic video and strategic video.
The First Deliverables: A Menu Showcase Designed for Engagement
People eat with their eyes first. And when it comes to food and drink, video trumps photography every time.
The first shoot focused entirely on Bar Good Fortune’s menu—its signature dishes and cocktails, shot in a way that made each item feel as dynamic as it does in person.
Shooting Approach
Close-up, high-detail cinematography—capturing steam rising from a dish, the slow melt of ice in a cocktail, the way a drink settles in the glass.
Intentional lighting for texture and depth—a balance between highlighting the food’s detail and keeping the overall warm, intimate tone of the restaurant.
Controlled, cinematic movement—slow tilts, precise camera slides, a natural rhythm that lets the viewer appreciate every detail.
This wasn’t about recreating the generic “food-porn” aesthetic. It was about making each dish feel as immersive as the experience of ordering it.
📌 The Goal: Create content that drives engagement and makes people want to book a table.
📌 The Result: Increased visibility, higher engagement, and a clear boost in weekend reservations.
The Second Deliverable: Capturing the Atmosphere of a Night Out
Food brings people in. The atmosphere keeps them coming back.
The second shoot wasn’t about the menu at all—it was about the experience of being at Bar Good Fortune. This meant stepping back, observing, and letting the environment speak for itself.
Filming Approach
Handheld, immersive shots—to create a feeling of being part of the night.
Low-light cinematography—preserving the warmth, glow, and movement of the bar’s natural ambiance.
Candid interactions—nothing staged, nothing forced—just a night in full swing.
This wasn’t an ad—it was a scene from someone’s real night out.
📌 The Goal: Make viewers want to be part of the experience, not just see it.
📌 The Result: A 35% higher share rate on social, more organic exposure, and higher retention on video views than standard posts.
Why This Strategy Worked
Most restaurant videos fall into one of two categories—aesthetic food content or a vibe-driven brand piece.
For Bar Good Fortune, we didn’t choose. We did both.
✔ The menu showcase content fed into Instagram engagement, leading directly to increased reservations.
✔ The atmosphere-driven film created emotional resonance, making the restaurant feel like a destination, not just a place to eat.
✔ The mix of high-detail product videography and cinematic branding created a full-circle marketing approach that made an impact.
This is what separates casual video marketing from actual strategy.
The Takeaway for Other Restaurants and Bars
Video content isn’t just about looking good—it’s about driving business.
If you’re a restaurant, bar, or hospitality brand that:
Wants more than just food photography
Needs content that doesn’t just get views, but gets reservations
Wants to create a brand that people feel connected to
We’re here to make that happen.
📍 Serving Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, and beyond.
📍 Experts in commercial, corporate, and brand storytelling.
📍 A team that builds videos designed to convert.
Let’s create something that works.