Coles starts marketing campaign for centenary with replica shop
Coles is celebrating its centenary year by recreating its original store in Collingwood, Melbourne and pledging to push harder on its ‘Australia First’ sourcing policy.
The first store opened on Smith Street in Collingwood, Victoria on April 9, 1914, with the brand returning to the site to recreate the original store as part of the milestone’s celebrations.
More marketing initiatives will ramp up throughout the first quarter as the business closes in on the milestone.
Coles managing director Ian McLeod said in a statement: “GJ Coles was a businessman, a family man and a philanthropist – dedicated to providing both great quality and great value, as well as a strong commitment to customer and community service. 100 years on and Coles remains true to the core principles of its founder and we will continue to strive to do so, keeping our customers at the heart of everything we do.”
I can see how Coles remains dedicated to business and through it you could argue quality and value, but family and philanthropy… errr less so.
I’m interested in hearing more about Australia First. Is that some Hansonesque xenophic thing with a twist insofar as Australian suppliers get screwed completely over before overseas ones? If so, I really like the re-interpretation of 1950’s immigration policy.
I think this is a cool idea, will it also feature products from 1914 – or at least have them on display, those I would like to see
Any takers on a bet that this will be used in the TV ads with lots of old timey looking Coles shop assistants working in there? Nonetheless – very cool. I’m based in Sydney but it is something I would love to see.
I love this idea! Will definitely check the shop out…. but mostly because I leave really close to Smith St!
I also had the opportunity of working at coles when the automatic closing doors and K Mart came to Melbourne, and online shopping started in Brisbane. I feel as a team member a part a very large family which is all reaching for the goals of our founder. I have been looking forward to this great celebration.
“Australia First” is a nice idea.
But no mention of the fact that Coles sources its “Mix Apparel” line entirely overseas, and Coles still stocks T-shorts manufactured in Bangladesh despite the Rana Plaza factory collapse which killed 1,100 garment workers.
“Australia First”? That might have been Coles a hundred years ago. Not today.