Simple Marketing: Inspired by Pick n Pay
South African supermarket giant, Pick ‘n Pay, can never be found guilty of overkill marketing. They are traditionalists in every sense of the way. They have relied on marketing in its simplest form since day one and as these images suggest, they aren’t in a hurry to adjust their campaigns either.
About a year ago they spent a great fortune on their re-branding campaign. Instead of wowing the crowd with a ground-breaking launch, we were greeted with a rather diminutive picture of the improved face of Pick ‘n Pay.
Fast forward to the present and the guys from Cherryflava don’t seem too chuffed with PnP’s latest marketing campaign for the launch of their new shop in Claremont, Cape Town. I wouldn’t have even known about it if it hadn’t been for a random Google search that led me to the site.
What they undoubtedly could’ve done is to create a television commercial to showcase their grand opening to the entire country; a radio commercial on the country’s leading stations would have reached the ears of the masses too. And if they were keen on the net, nothing but an effective social media campaign would’ve sufficed, gaining unprecedented exposure and brand recognition among the internet citizens of South Africa. But they didn’t. Instead they opted for a low maintenance, low budgeted and antiquated method. Ordinary people from the street parading like puppets with branded advertising wear.
And I think it’s brilliant. Because I and millions of other people in the country couldn’t care less about PnP’s brand new shop in Claremont. This is location based advertising at its best and I bet the store will be jam packed come opening day. Claremont is a bustling suburb, where pedestrians make up a huge chunk of everyday life.
Why do we as marketers always try to compare our ideas against the execution of others? Why do we need to complicate matters, increase marketing spend and drive our CEO’s to an early retirement? PnP has a simple message to carry across the people of Claremont: They have a new store.
Why pollute my mind and waste my time on irrelevant advertising when you could rightly be spending your millions on upgrading trolleys, increase accessibility to your store and hopefully better cater for people with disabilities? It is one less channel hop for me when you flight your annoying commercials.
And finally, why would you want to blow your own trumpet in the media about the launch of a new store when all you need to do is get people to shop there using simple, cost effective methods?
If anything, this is probably the simplest, yet most effective example of what can be achieved with a clear vision, rational mind and a marketing budget that for once will not be overspent.
In a world where every brand seems to be at war with its competition, continuously trying to outdo one another with extravagantly expensive campaigns, it’s refreshing to see there are still brands out there that appreciate the effect of using something ordinary to create an extraordinary payoff.
9 Responses to “Simple Marketing: Inspired by Pick n Pay”
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September 16th, 2008 at 4:21 pm
I can’t agree more. I think as marketers we often step into the trap of flashy but impractical campaigns.
We get up in the morning and obsess about our next brilliant pitch. Our aim to outwit any other marketer that has lived before with a “new” “innovative” “mind-blowingly creative” campaign that will get people talking and win us acclaim and some award. By this time, the campaign objectives and proposed outcome have been forgotten and shoved into “File 13″
Although creatives and corporates alike might find the concept appealing, it’s the folk on the street that make it all happen and guarantee that those results are achieved. How they experience the campaign is what matters.
Marketing should be the tool that gets the job done to create value and meet objectives. It’s not about a “marketing noddy badge”!
Lastly as a shopper I have to admit… the store’s accessibility, new trollies and well trained staff backed with prompt service is of far more value than a marketing campaign. When I am battling navigating through a store, finding parking or unpacking groceries at a till…a marketing campaign is the last thing on my mind. PnP has a winning recipe – spend the money on the things that matter: the customers’ shopping experience!
September 16th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
Thats why I love this business.
Buy shares in it where possible and think they are some of the brightest most practical management teams around.
Great company…
September 16th, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Oh and the practicalities of shopping at PnP.. Top company
September 17th, 2008 at 10:36 am
What effect does the marketing department, within companies like PnP have on the effectivity of the campaign?
I have never been “in marketing” – just not my line, but I have had first hand experience in seeing the two attempt to work together.
Now that was disasterous!!!!
The in-company marketers need to justify their positions within the company and often cannot really ‘see the forest for the trees …..’ with the result that they interfere, and interfere and interfere …..
Their input, more often than not, destroys the campaigns that effective, outside marketers have designed. In desperate attempts to pretend to cut costs so their bosses won’t see how they have misspent themselves, they mess up whole campaigns.
I’m very much in favour of using independent companies and contract out ……
Could the above not be an ‘inhouse’ attempt?
September 22nd, 2008 at 1:31 pm
[...] information from every angle (sms, email and advertising for example) a clear well targeted message conveyed simply is often the most [...]
September 22nd, 2008 at 2:23 pm
[...] 5. Brand wherever is possible. Avoid mass media. You’re after niche. Always. Opening a new supermarket? Who buys there? Everyone. But where is it opening? Start advertising there. [...]
September 22nd, 2008 at 4:16 pm
justfoodnow, for lack of any evidence whatsoever, this does have the smell of an “in-house” job and truth be told: I like it…for obvious reasons.
I’ve read the follow up to the article and it seems they did use other channels to market the opening too like community newspapers and radio.
All in all a very effective campaign, without going to expensive lengths such as television and glossy.
September 22nd, 2008 at 5:26 pm
[...] innovate. Focusing on what works can prevent failure and save your money. Often the basics are effective. Strive to strike a balance between innovation and [...]
August 1st, 2009 at 12:51 pm
It makes sense to use these low cost promotions when your target audience is less internet savy and possible to reach them to the face from the neighbourhood. Kudos to their strategists to opt for something like this which will not only catch eyes but also be the reason for word of mouth promotions too.