Looking to shed its image as a poor cousin of its big-box competitors, electronics retailer The Source has rolled out a new campaign positioning it as a destination for must-have gadgets and devices.
The new “I want that” campaign from Toronto agency Juniper Park showcases the diverse range of top-tier consumer electronics products available at The Source and includes TV (brand spots and a series of closed-captioning ads), a printed gift guide, in-store signage, flyers, online banners and radio. The Source has also partnered with Cineplex to have some of its items featured in its pre-show “Gear Guide” segments.
The campaign is intended to put The Source top-of-mind for consumers during the key holiday shopping period said Ron Craig, who joined the Barrie, Ont.-based company as its vice-president of marketing in July.
“Q4 is our Super Bowl, so it’s the time we look to maximize business and capitalize on traffic,” he said. “We’re going full bore this year.”
Craig said his first priority upon arriving at The Source from the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation was helping raise the company’s profile while shaking a reputation that endures from its previous incarnation as RadioShack.
Though The Source has more than 700 stores across the country (70% of Canadians live within five kilometres of one of its retail locations), it is underdeveloped in awareness versus its competitors, said Craig. Many people continue to perceive it as retailer for accessories and second-tier brands.
“We’re really changing our retail footprint, and as we started to do that we also recognized that we needed to invest in building the brand and shaking some of the baggage from the RadioShack days to paint a picture of what The Source is today and why it’s the place for consumer electronics and mobility,” said Craig.
The “I want that” positioning, he said, perfectly showcases The Source’s commitment to stocking the most-wanted electronics items.
One of two 30-second TV spots, “Batteries,” references the company’s previous reputation as a place to buy accessories with a man entering the store insisting that he’s only there to buy batteries, only to be enticed by digital cameras, computers and audio accessories.
A second spot entitled “Showdown” features two men returning from The Source and trying to one-up each other with their purchases, which include everything from a remote-control helicopter to a laptop and a baby monitor.
The spots represent the first foray into TV advertising for The Source, which has traditionally relied on flyers and some radio advertising.
Using two spots allows the company to promote a wide range of products without trying to cram too much into a single commercial, said Craig. The campaign debuted the week of U.S. Thanksgiving, producing Black Friday sales that were 39% higher than 2011 and “cyber week” sales that were 117% higher.
The Source is a “small-box” retailer that operates primarily mall-based locations between 2,000 and 3,000 square feet. That is a business advantage for The Source, said Craig, since it is not dealing with the same overhead costs as large-format stores.
“We’re giving [consumers] what they need in a format that’s highly convenient and accessible.” Media for the campaign was handled by PHD Canada.
