Topco Presents Annual Marketing Awards
About 1,100 representatives from nearly 50 members companies and more than 165 vendors took part in Topco Associates’ annual Super Show last week in Schaumburg, Ill.
During this major private-label industry event that focuses on center store sales and merchandising, Topco awarded its Corporate Brand Marketing Excellence awards in recognition of their member companies’ outstanding efforts to promote and market Topco brands in 2010.
• Member Brands: Schnuck Markets Inc. Schnucks elevated its efforts in 2010 to engage consumers with Schnucks Select, highlighting the store brand internally with a corporate luncheon and then building excitement externally with a brand brochure, point-of-sale materials and print ads.
• Food Club: Coborn’s Inc. From truckload buys to meal-deal events to compare and save campaigns, Coborn’s included Food Club in all its key marketing events in 2010 and saw year-over-year brand sales grow 12 percent.
• Shurfine: Affiliated Foods Midwest. To promote the launch of the new Shurfine soda program, Affiliated Foods Midwest created excitement with impressive point-of sale materials, including innovative in-aisle displays and an aggressive ad program.
• Paws: Spartan Stores Inc. Spartan made Paws its complete pet-care solution in 2010 and, to help introduce the brand to consumers, it developed special print ads, in-store bag stuffers and website communications. To ensure maximum brand exposure, Spartan branded its pet aisle as Paws, and Spartan saw its private brand pet business grow 12 percent.
• Full Circle: United Supermarkets. United successfully engaged customers in the all-natural and organic brand while also giving back to communities with its “Complete the Circle” campaign. For Every Full Circle product purchased, United donated an equal amount of food to local food banks up to 200,000 pounds. United highlighted the campaign with in-store point-of-sale materials, its Market Street magazine, print ads, social media and its web site.
• Top Care: Weis Markets Inc. Weis’ Mix or Match marketing event highlighted the variety, depth and quality of the Top Care brand. Consumers could buy one item and receive one of equal or lesser value for free. Weis used print ads, social media, and in-store marketing messages to ensure consumers were fully aware of the no-limits promotion.
• Economy Brands: Winn-Dixie Stores Inc. Last year, Winn-Dixie converted to the Valu Time brand and created the tagline “Great Value. Great Savings. Everyday low price.” Winn-Dixie developed an impressive ad campaign that highlighted Valu Time’s everyday savings message.
Topco Associates LLC is an $11.3 billion, privately held company that provides aggregation, innovation and knowledge management solutions for leading food industry member-owners and customers. Topco leverages the collective volume, knowledge and commitment of these companies to create a competitive advantage in the marketplace by reducing costs and offering winning business-building capabilities.