Media Bites-September 7 2010

Now for something you don't really hear about anymore: Imagine receiving a gift of free groceries and other goods. This is exactly what happened to a group of neighbors near Baton Rouge LA. Save-A Lot (http://save-a-lot.com/) supermarket which has reduced newspaper ads and circulars in that market. Instead they embraced a true grassroots community campaign. The supermarket, an affiliate of St. Louis based chain Supervalue, was searching for something to do that was unique and would set them apart in a sea of groceries stores and mega chains. According to a recent Ad Age article, with a limited media spend for 6 months of $1.9 million, they had to think creatively.

"We're always looking for new ways to break through," noted Mark Kotcher, director of brand marketing and design for Save-a Lot. "A lot of grocery advertising today is people saying 'Our prices are the lowest, our prices are the lowest.' Well, we believe in proof points and what better way than to take it right to [the customer's] front door?" Mr. Kotcher added, "I would imagine you'll see this promotion in other places."

The company, which currently has just over 1,000 stores, is looking toward a goal of doubling that number by 2015 and believes that strategies like this one will build brand recognition.

The challenge that Save-A Lot faced is not unlike what any small business faces on a daily basis-without the benefit of an advertising budget of $1.9 million to work with. The bottom line here is that with a little creativity, there are ways to communicate with your customers in interesting and engaging ways without breaking the bank.

A few options you might consider would be to Tweet out any new specials you have to encourage followers and build recognition. Write an article about your business and post it on Scribd.com or Docstoc.com. Generate some buzz by creating a series of two minute videos and upload them to multiple sites using tubemogul.com. The possibilities are endless. Read more about them in Your Ad Here De-mystyfying the Business of Media and Advertising available at http://www.youradherthebook.com, http://www.barnesandnoble.com or as an e-book at Sribd.com.