Galen gets close to home

Loblaw has launched a new TV ad to promote its Grown Close to Home program that offers shoppers produce sourced from Canadian growers during peak season.

The 60-second spot, created by agency of record Bensimon Byrne for the President’s Choice product line, once again features Galen Weston, Loblaws’ executive chairman and pitchman.

This time however, the agency replaced farmers with family and friends to better promote the chain’s core values, said David Rosenberg, chief creative officer at Bensimon Byrne.

In previous years, the ads focused on the chain’s relationship with its over 700 growers. Now Weston explains how Canadian eating habits are changing.

“More people are thinking about where their produce comes from and how it’s grown,” says Weston. “We want to feed our families food that’s good for us… fruits and vegetables from your part of the country taste incredible.”

Now in its third year, The Grown Close to Home event puts area growers front and centre during July and August, with approximately 40% of produce sourced from Canadian growers.

The effort supports both Canadian farmers and the “eat local” movement, which encourages consumers to consume locally grown foods to reduce carbon emissions caused by transporting product over long distances.

“It’s a very symbiotic relationship,” said Rosenberg of the partnership between the grocery chain and its farmers.

“Local farmers give tips to Loblaw and Loblaw works with farmers to get the freshest produce into store, and sometimes on the same day,” he said. “What we do in terms of advertising is try and bring that to life.”

Over the next two months Loblaw banner stores will feature freshly harvested Canadian produce items displayed in special bins at the front of the stores, and select locations will feature a John Deere tractor to highlight the produce section.

Robert Chorney, president of Farmers’ Markets Canada criticized the chain earlier this week for trying to capitalize on the success of farmers markets.

Mike Venton, senior vice-president, produce, Loblaw Companies Ltd., said trying to recreate that environment is impossible.

“I see the traffic at the one that’s by my house,” he said. “We won’t be able to stop that, and we don’t want to stop it but want to tell consumers we have stuff that’s just as good.”