Coles is to mix up its price-focused ‘Down Down’ advertising fodder with high-end fare. The supermarket aims to cater for all budgets by bringing in Brit chef Heston Blumenthal to front advertising for the premium Coles Aussie food range he is creating.
Heston’s food range will sit alongside the supermarket’s existing partnership with MasterChef as part of Coles’ efforts to change the way shoppers view the quality of its products. The hope is that the new range will help it appeal to “passionate foodies” who may not have previously shopped at its stores, according to Coles top marketer.
“Australians are looking for different products that meet their needs for different occasions and for us to have Heston on board is exciting. It’s an Australian first, like Coles and MasterChef was," Simon McDowell, Coles group director of marketing, told AdNews.
"We pride ourselves on being bold and this is another very bold move for our brand and an exciting long term step.”
The range will be at the top end of Coles' offering price-wise, but McDowell says it’s justified because it’s “special and different”.
“It’s always a balance and we know for Australian families its always this balance of utility and price."
He argued that "quality times price equals value" and that the supermarket wanted to strike the "right balance where we can reduce the cost of your shopping, with feed your family for $10 and the Down Down Status Quo thing, but we’re equally as obsessed with reducing the cost of your shopping as we are providing you the best foodie experience we possibly can."
He added: "If Status Quo and Down Down does price, then MasterChef does quality and all of these things are in constant balance because we’re a really big brand with millions of customers a week and we're trying to cater for everybody so these things work really well together."
Coles is partway through a five year turnaround strategy that aims to improve every aspect of the business from the quality of its products to its store environments and marketing. The deal with Blumenthal is another step along the way said McDowell.
“We’re trying with Heston to put a little more sizzle on the sausage, and we’re proud of the quality of the produce over the last few years … Coles is getting better and continues to push itself to be the best quality.”
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.
Have something to say? Send us your comments using the form below or contact the writer at rosiebaker@yaffa.com.au
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.