It’s time to look at the shortlist for Marketer of the Year, which appears in Marketing’s Nov. 28 issue. We’ll be featuring each one online as a lead-up to our January 2012 issue, where you’ll find out which marketer will reign supreme.
Metro
Makes its mark with a customer-centric marketing strategy that redefines loyalty in Canada
In the increasingly competitive world of grocery marketing, meeting the needs of consumers in a troubled economy is paramount.
In the past year, Metro has launched a series of initiatives designed to reposition itself as Quebec’s consumer-oriented grocery store and propel it to the top of the food chain of grocery stores in Canada. To its credit, in the sometimes hit-and-miss arena of consumer marketing and changing consumer trends, each of Metro’s programs has proven extremely successful.
The purchase of Toronto-based chain Dominion several years ago represented a major takeover of one of the most-recognized names in the grocery sector. And that was just the beginning. When Marc Giroux, vice-president of marketing at Metro, joined the group two years ago, he orchestrated a massive re-branding of the Metro banner, with a return to the mass advertising of previous years.
The new approach is based on a customer-centric strategy that fulfills promises and fills shopping baskets. Why is Metro such a successful marketer? While the company’s efforts have been designed to help consumers save money at the check-out, it extends beyond the economics of shopping for food. Metro is committed to promoting local agriculture and bringing the outdoors in. Proximity to the consumer is one of the organization’s conceptual pillars, emphasizing that the chain uses and supports local growers.
Demonstrating a recognition of the growing interest in the environment, Metro also reached its “sustainable fisheries” goals in 2011, including hiring an oceanographer to analyze vendor relationships and ensure all suppliers sign a code of conduct to meet Metro’s goals.
“Our goal was to build a brand strategy that would be relevant to customers,” says Giroux. “We wanted to continue fostering the Metro culture of understanding customers and making sure our brands are fulfilling their grocery and nutritional needs. The basic notion is, ‘Metro lives in Quebec. Because we understand Quebeckers’ needs, we’ll provide you better products and greater value—and we’ll reduce your grocery bill.’”
As part of its positioning as the grocer that cares and as a practical response to economic belt-tightening, Metro launched the Metro & Moi loyalty program in 2010 in which shoppers accumulate points toward hard cash, or the closest thing to it—a cheque in the mail that can be used towards their next purchase. In Ontario, Metro’s loyalty program, allied with Air Miles, was rebranded My Rewards, My Metro, based on the same principles as the Quebec program.
To further leverage the effectiveness of Metro & Moi, the grocer has been working with British loyalty company Dunnhumby since early 2010 to develop the program and provide consumer analytics. As a result, Metro was able to personalize its offers to consumers based on their shopping preferences.
Speaking at a retailing conference in February, CEO Eric La Fleche said program members were outspending non-members and that 90% of members “like or really like” the program.
There’s more! Check out the Nov. 28 issue of Marketing for the full profile, and subscribe to find out who will be named the Marketer of the Year for 2011.
