Last week Jena McGregor (BusinessWeek reporter) and I chatted about “authentic marketing.” This was in conjunction with the article BusinessWeek ran in its Sept. 18th issue detailing the recent marketing makeover at Safeway. You can access the audio of our conversation here but you might wanna familiarize yourself beforehand with the BusinessWeek story we reference in our chat.
BusinessWeek subscribers can read the article here, others can read the gist below …
The same-store sales pendulum at Safeway has swung from a negative 4.5% 2003 to a positive 4.3% in 2005. Safeway insiders are crediting its major renovation efforts as the reason for the dramatic change in sales.Beginning in 2003, Safeway committed to spending billions of dollars to remodel all 1,775 of its stores. The remodeling efforts were more than just cosmetic as Safeway made a concerted effort to improve the quality of the food it stocks, as well as the quality of the experience it delivers to customers.
Perishables have been upgraded to include more organic offerings and exotic choices. Beef and poultry have been upgraded and the floral department has also undergone a significant quality upgrade. Additionally, Safeway enlisted the assistance of Orangetwice to remodel its stores to exude a much more authentic look and feel.
Safeway wisely waited until its stores were remodeled and its merchandise was upgraded before it began running its “Ingredients for Life” advertising campaign.
In our conversation, Jena and I touch upon the importance of going inside/out when brands undergo the renovation process. We also discuss how Whole Foods Market and Starbucks Coffee have it seemingly easier when it comes to “authentic marketing.” Plus, I share my thoughts on a few steps traditional mainstream brands can take to tell a more authentic story.
DOWNLOAD AUDIO HERE
[17:29 minutes | 8.3 MB]
Jena McGregor & John Moore chatting about Safeway, Whole Foods, Starbucks, and "authentic marketing."
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