Coles’ new strategy is going ‘Down Down’ the wrong path
As Coles moves away from its price-driven marketing strategy, Joyride’s Jamie Clift wonders if customers really value a supermarket’s community work over cheap groceries.
The supermarket category is amongst the most fiercely combative segments in marketing – a true heavyweight bout where a single percentage point share movement one way or another can add up to many millions in revenue lost or gained. And for a long time, Coles had the ascendency.
For Woolies, this was a battle fought daily, constantly looking over their shoulders wondering what Coles would do next. Frantically trying to crack the code on ‘value’, and bemoaning the success of Coles’ ‘Down Down’ campaign. Efforts to mimic ‘Down Down’ with ill-conceived campaigns like ‘Cheap Cheap’ left egg on the face of marketers from the green corner.
Yeah, because asking your customers what they want to see from your as a business never works…. what a joker. This smacks of an old school ad guy trying to desperately push his “creative leap” (a.k.a his washed up excuse for a campaign) as a strategic response. Absolute codswallop.
C’mon NJ, do you actually buy that:
“[Coles’] customers, who kindly told them “we want to know more about the good things Coles is doing in our community”” ?
And do you disagree that “As worthy as the Red Kite partnership may be, it won’t convert a single Woolies (or Aldi) customer to Coles”.
Pretty hard to argue otherwise.
I oppose the offensive reporting on Coles ‘ new marketing strategy. Shame that even in the world of supermarkets and groceries, foul language has to rear its ugly head. Unnecessarily.
The nervous marketing department should be ashamed not fearful.
Supermarket research must suggest “price” is the key factor for consumers to shift stores. I value two other basic attributes; range (brands I like) and service (stock on shelves and a way to pay). Coles is my local but it is deteriorating in these categories, I now have to visit 3 different retailers. Would love to hear if anyone can share insight into the technical side from professional perspective?
Good precise of the path Coles have taken Jamie. Supermarkets( esp.,) in Australia work in a war zone, not a benevolent society . As for Jamies language Chris – get over it !!
I stopped shopping Coles many years ago [edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy] don’t care less about consumers. They are also [edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. I worked for Myers prior to voles [edited under Mumbrella’s comment moderation policy]. I loved Myers it had good quality prohigh standards in staff niw it sells cheap nasty Chinese ill made pry fir massive prices, staff are arrogant and generally unprofessional. Thank Coles for causing failure to all that it touches. It is a toxic company
Agree, the two supermarkets still look and sound tired and same same. They’re trotting out the same old rubbish when competitors like Aldi today, Amazon tomorrow, are proving people want and expect so much more. Be different, be honest and stop with the cheesy Curtis stuff
I never understood why the original Coles campaign was successful, given how it appeared so cheaply-made and annoying, though maybe that was the point! Never worked in making me want to shop there. I agree they need a new strategy that focuses on value – banks try to talk about their good deeds when we just want to know what they’re doing with our money; same goes for getting value from supermarkets
The biggest problem of all is that they cheapened the name of the great Status Quo, whilst annoying the crap out of everyone.
Supermarkets need to understand that orange is the new black… get with the times!
Interesting perspective Jamie but research proves that CSR/community/charity support DOES and will influence a consumer to shop/purchase. I have the stats to prove it. However what Coles have messed up is the way in which they have communicated it. They have made it all about them and not about the good they are doing. No stories of Red Kite kids..why make the long serving employee the star when it should be the kids. Yet another example of a company simple using standard advertising principles to communicate CSR – it doesn’t work! Check out my research report for more info cavil.com.au/talking-the-walk
“ill-conceived campaigns like ‘Cheap Cheap’ left egg on the face of marketers from the green corner”…… I’m sorry Jamie but weren’t you working at the creative agency that developed this.
No, but thanks for asking.