Following on from last weeks article ('Own Brands Become More Important To Supermarkets Bottom Line') on providing better looking own food labels here is a story on how the Americans have gone a step further.

Associated Food Stores is targeting younger consumers with Internet 'webisodes' that promote the Western Family private-label line. Accessed on the new website, www.mywesternfamily.com, the one-to two-minute videos feature sitcom style episodes starring a family named the Westerns.

Each episode features a Western Family item of the week and a free coupon for that item, at the retail locations of any of Associate's 400 members. Also the company this week is offering a chance to show off  musical abilities and win some great prizes. It encourages people to create their own WF jingle and get tube famous. They encourgae people to take their jingle and find a creative way to perform it. They offer prizes for all those who enter and a super duper surprise for the first three people to post their videos to our YouTube site.

The reason behind this is because 'Recent research showed that while Western Family is a popular private label, the perception among younger shoppers associated it with older brands,” said Roger White, director of marketing, Associated Food Stores, in a statement. “The mywesternfamily.com campaign aims to communicate with consumers between the ages of 25 to 35 through the Internet and less traditional forms of media.”

The Grocer Own Label
Excellence Awards
12th May 2009