New Republique answers Dick's calls; wins Dick Smith Foods

Sarah Homewood
By Sarah Homewood | 16 June 2015
 
Dick Smith. Photo: Frances Mocnik.

Sydney creative agency New Republique has won a competitive pitch for Dick Smith Foods (DSF), with the brief to increase sales for its FMCG products and save it from closure as predicted in late 2014.

Late in 2013 Smith put out a call for help saying at the time that unless a creative agency could turn DSF around then he was going to have to close the business. At the time Smith said his goal was to boost DSF's market share from 1.6% to 5%.

Smith has had to undertake over a year long search for an idea that may save the business, with the entrepreneur telling AdNews in October that “I was looking for something really bright and different but we got nothing – about 300 people wrote to us with the typical boring ads that just follow what's predictable, but we wanted something out of left field, and so that's one of the reasons [the brand might close],” he said.

Smith's prays have now been answered. New Republique aims to take DSF back to basics to ensure the Australian owned company can continue to support Australian businesses and producers while still giving 100% of profits to charity.

“This win is hugely important to us as we feel passionate about supporting Aussie brands,” said New Republique's CEO, Nima Yassini. “When Dick issued a cry for help last year, calling for the next John Singleton or Neville Corbett to help improve his sales or he would be forced to close, we knew we had to be a part of the pitch process.”

“We are thrilled to be the chosen agency and working with such an iconic Australian company, which at grassroots level is focused on helping and supporting ordinary Australians.”

General manager for Dick Smith Foods, Stuart Paine said New Republique was appointed due to its rational approach to the brief. “We need to get our fundamentals right to ensure longevity, relevance and loyalty with consumers.”

“New Republique surpassed other interested agencies by correctly identifying the need to go back to basics and implement traditional customer marketing, sampling and price promotions. This was illustrated well by their Grip strategy tool.”

The Grip model identifies that the key to understanding the inclination of today’s consumer for buying any product lies in their view of how generous the brand is, how responsive it is to their needs and how accessible the brand is to them. These three dimensions are named Generosity, Responsiveness, and Proximity (Grip).

Yassini said: “At the end of the day our job is to help clients sell more products. This account win solidifies New Republique’s integrated service offering, with the aim to change the way brands market and sell to their consumers.”

The Dick Smith Foods campaign will commence with bespoke shopper marketing activations aimed at driving trials of the DSF products and increasing brand awareness.

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