Electronics retailer The Source is getting political in its latest campaign. Its new back-to-school campaign from Toronto’s Juniper Park, which broke Monday, is a continuation of the “I Want That” positioning introduced in December.
As with its first iteration – which represented The Source’s first foray into TV after years of relying on flyers and a smattering of radio ads – the campaign is set inside one of The Source’s retail environments.
The campaign features TV, radio, digital ads, flyers and in-store elements. Media was handled by PHD Canada.
A 30-second TV spot features a schoolgirl entering a Source store and informing the sales clerk that she is running for class president and requires a “tech edge” on her opponents. The clerk shows her the latest smartphone with features such as wireless connectivity and video sharing, with the candidate explaining how each feature will benefit her election campaign.
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The TV spot is being supported by a 30-second radio ad featuring a university student who needs some headphones so he can study without being bothered by his noisy roommates. The Source’s sales clerk shows him Monster DNA headphones and informs him that she, too, remembers leaving home for the first time. The customer responds: “I can’t wait – I still live with my parents.”
While The Source’s marketing activity in Quebec has been limited to radio, the company is also making its first foray into French-language TV with its new campaign. The spot is consistent with earlier English-Canada creative and retains the “I Want That” positioning (“C’est ce que je veux”), but tries to communicate the depth and range of products available at The Source, said Craig.
Ron Craig, who joined The Source as vice-president of marketing in July 2012, said that the electronics retailer is still attempting – but succeeding – to escape the brand perception cast by its previous incarnation as RadioShack.
Associated with cramped stores and off-brand electronics, Radio Shack was traditionally perceived as a place to buy electronics accessories such as batteries and protective cases, but not new TVs or computers.
“It’s 40 years of baggage, so it doesn’t happen overnight. But we’re definitely making inroads,” said Craig, who said that The Source grew its share by nearly one point last year in a tough market for consumer electronics retailers. “That’s not insignificant in our category at all,” he said.
An independently operated unit of Bell Canada, The Source will open or refurbish up to 200 stores in the next three years, said Craig. “We’ve got a number of stores that are older and tired, and we’ve been actively working to refresh the look and feel of them to reflect a more contemporary retail environment,” he said. About 75% of The Source’s stores are situated in mall environments.
While some electronics retailers such as Best Buy have cut jobs and closed locations amid changing consumer habits, The Source added 67 new locations last year and expects to add another 20 in 2013, said Craig. “We’re going in the right direction,” he said, noting that The Source is “the only game in town” in some of the smaller communities in which it operates.
