Restaurant owners love to yammer about how they differentiate themselves from their competitors, so as to be memorable in the minds of diners. There’s a certain amount of truth to this claim, especially when it comes to fine diners who are always searching for the next New Thing.

(And, indeed, that’s why I’m always preaching the Gospel of Be Yourself; we are all tiny snowflakes, don’t ya know?)

That said, there comes a time when it’s good to go with the flow, to do things your competitors are doing -- not their way, mind you, your way, but doing what is being done.

Holidays, seasonal ingredients, famous moments in pop culture (such as the first moonwalk, whether Neil Armstrong’s or Michael Jackson’s) have the power to set the media off and running, rounding up the best interpretations of the food and events on peoples' minds.

Of course, please also tell your publicist what you are doing asap. When a tree falls in the forest, guess what, nobody cares.

The Restaurant Intelligence Agency web site provides a friendly reminder to journalists about upcoming events; the Events tab makes it easy for reporters to identify a handful or a dozen restaurants’, say, Halloween events (after all, it’s only two-and-a-half months away, the blink of an eye for magazine editors).

My point: Even while staying true to your brand, you can take advantage of group-think by jumping on predictable news hooks. Now find a calendar and start planning!