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Repositioning (Supermarkets)
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Four ways to Reposition a Brand (Supermarkets)

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Asda

Seiyu

Chosen by you

KY

The Co-operative
Food

(UK, 2012)

(Japan, 2011)

Good with food

(UK, 2010)

Fresh growth from relaunch

through recession
(UK, 2010)

Supermarket

Supermarket

Supermarket

Supermarket

Improve the quality

perception of private label
range in order to create
a unified brand

Build a new identity for

a value-priced brand in
a market where price was
not a strong motivator

Differentiate a cooperative
brand on issues of quality
and ethics in order to halt a
long-term decline

Transform perceptions of a
regional supermarket in
order to boost sales, profit
and awareness following a
merger

Use package design and

customer product testing to
build credibility and quality
credentials

Identify the target

demographics need for
entertainment and create
a self-deprecating,
disruptive campaign

Create a multi-channel
campaign using freshness
and quality as key points of
difference

Achieve market leading

8.4% growth and gain
significant market share

Focus on three areas of

change: new stores, new
products and new brand
communications to boost
brand image

Grow sales and increase

brand awareness

Increase sales and build

brand equity

Earn 295M in incremental

revenue and grow share

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Morrisons

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Asda: Chosen by you (UK, 2012)

What was the challenge?

Creative
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To enhance and expand UK supermarket Asdas private label range in order to improve its
quality perceptions and create a unified brand that is able to compete in its own right.
What was the solution?

Creative
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Challenge the perception that private labels are lower-quality copycats of major brands by
developing a cohesive message and positioning based on the products being tried, tested
and approved by real Asda customers.

Creative
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Launch a broad range including 3500 food products, 2000 household products and
introduce 500 new products to provide a robust value offering across the entire store.

Creative
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Create brand unity with a cohesive package design that unified the entire range, using
vibrant colours, contemporary fonts and unique, striking photographs.
What were the results?
Increased growth of private label sales by a market-leading 8.4%.
Became the fastest-growing retailer in categories such as bakery and meal solutions.
Increased trial of brand and boosted quality perceptions.

View full case study

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Seiyu: KY (Japan, 2011)

What was the challenge?

Creative
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To create a compelling identity for the Wal-Mart owned Japanese supermarket chain
Seiyu in order to boost acceptance by a target demographic of stay-at-home housewives.
What was the solution?

Creative
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Creative
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Creative
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Identify that low price alone was not a strong-enough proposition, despite consumers
becoming more value-conscious due to the recession and stores like Muji and Uniqlo.
Use consumer research to learn that the target audience of stay-at-home housewives
were looking for brands to provide entertainment and reassurance.
Combine these insights in a multi-channel campaign playing on the popular phrase kuki
yomenai (insensitive) and kakaku yasuku (inexpensive) in order to communicate the
value proposition and the brands improved sensitivity to consumer needs.
What were the results?
Increased total sales by 15.2% versus the previous year.
Raised awareness of Seiyu as a value shopping destination from 9% to 59%.

View full case study

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The Co-operative Food: Good with food

(UK, 2010)
Creative
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Creative
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Creative
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Creative
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What was the challenge?

To build brand equity and create a defined proposition for a UK cooperative chain in order
to improve quality perceptions, attract sceptical customers and reverse a long-term
decline in sales and share.
What was the solution?
Use the core positive equity of the Co-operatives strong reputation for ethics as the
building block of a new proposition based on quality, ethically-sourced food.
Create a three-part strategy of new store design, new products such as value and
premium foods, and new communications to change the brands image.
Run an integrated, multi-channel campaign across TV, print, in-store and outdoor to
reach a broad audience, using Fair Trade, ethics and quality as key touchpoints.
What were the results?
Increased sales by 1.8% in year one, 4.6% in year two, and 7.3% in year three.
Grew market share by one point, reversing a long-term trend of share loss.
View full case study

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Morrisons: Fresh growth from relaunch

through recession (UK, 2010)
Creative
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Creative
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What was the challenge?

To transform the image of a northern UK supermarket chain in order to grow market share
and profits, and increase awareness of Morrisons outside of its regional base following its
acquisition of Safeway, a rival chain based in the south.
What was the solution?
Identify poor perceptions of food quality as the main challenge. Address these concerns in
order to engage and attract customers by offering both value and quality.

Creative
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Creative
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Highlight Morrisons market-stall heritage in order to differentiate it based on freshness,

emphasising the fresh products offered in its bakeries, butchers, and produce sections.
Use TV as the main communications channel, with ads featuring down-to-earth celebrities
and images of the outdoors and fresh foods in order to reinforce quality perceptions.
What were the results?
Increased sales by 9.5% in the first year and continued growing ahead of market.
Grew market share from 11.1% to 12% while other major chains lost share.

View full case study

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