The Co-operative Group has today launched a multi-million pound advertising campaign to communicate the “coming together” of The Co-operative and Somerfield food businesses.
The dual-branded campaign will underline how The Co-operative’s acquisition of the Somerfield supermarket chain has enabled it to “offer its best value deals, whilst highlighting that the same deals are now available across The Co-operative and Somerfield estate”.
Two female members of staff – existing Co-operative employee, store supervisor Madeleine Bowers, and her colleague from Somerfield, checkout operator Tomieka Shiell – have been chosen to front the campaign, which will run across all national and multi-channel TV stations.
Debbie Robinson, director of food retail marketing at The Co-operative Group, said: “We wanted a visual way to represent the two businesses coming together on TV, in order to widely communicate the acquisition of Somerfield and to ensure that customers and potential customers understand the benefits of this happening in terms of scale and value.
“We decided to combine the two messages for maximum impact.
“The two staff members were selected earlier to feature in internal communications, and, following in-depth qualitative research which showed customers really connected with them, they were thrilled to be asked to be the stars of our New Year advertising campaign.
“They will feature across all tactical deal and meal TV advertising from January onwards.”
Since the £1.6bn acquisition in March 2009, The Co-operative has been phasing Co-operative brand products into Somerfield stores and the harmonisation of the ranges should be complete by this October.
At the same time, the mutually-owned retailer is re-branding Somerfield stores to The Co-operative, with the Somerfield brand due to disappear by the end of 2011.
Source: The Co-op
