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February 2010, Vol. 3, Edition 2
In This Issue
2010 International World Management Conference Registration
Executive Director Memo
2010 ICOM Board Members
Financial Update
Trendwatching
Agency Pitchmistakes
Agency Whitepaper - Mike Carlton, Carlton Associates
Agency News
Agency News - Asia/Pacific
Agency News - Europe/Middle East/Africa
Agency News - Latin America
Agency News - North America
BKV - Overland Park, Kansas
Colle + McVoy - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Cramer-Krasselt - Chicago, Illinois
Diccicco Battista Communications - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
SKM Group - Buffalo, New York
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SKM Group - Buffalo, New York

CASE STUDY

TOPS Friendly Markets        
Shop, Play, Win!
TOPS Monopoly Collect & Win Game

SITUATION 

Tops Markets, LLC, (TOPS) operates 76 full-service supermarkets – 71 company-owned and five franchise supermarkets. With over 10,000 associates, TOPS is the leading full-service grocery retailer in Western New York, Central New York, including Rochester, and Northwestern Pennsylvania.

In December 2007, TOPS was purchased by Morgan Stanley Private Equity. This transition allowed the company to operate independently with full control over marketing and promotional activities.  

TOPS was looking for a consumer loyalty building opportunity that also drove manufacturer brand sales.

CHALLENGE

TOPS sales were flat due to many competitive and economic factors.  Overall consumer spending was down and TOPS was losing marketshare to national retailers like Wal-Mart and Aldi and other regional “Everyday Low Price” grocers.

SOLUTION

SKM recommended a promotion that would drive in-store traffic and attract new customers and customer segments to TOPS by leveraging a household name brand. TOPS signed an agreement with Hasbro to hold the exclusive market rights to the “Monopoly Collect & Win Game,” giving customers over 25 million chances to win almost $8MM in prizes during the first quarter of 2010. Monopoly is a well- established brand and has successfully driven traffic for other retail outlets.

TOPS goal was to leverage the “Monopoly” name and popularity created through the McDonald’s program to elevate the TOPS brand, to create awareness and excitement for the program by utilizing the high-level prize opportunities as well as drive in-store traffic and purchases through game participation. TOPS challenged SKM to develop and produce creative for a multimedia campaign utilizing TOPS and Monopoly as a cohesive brand to build awareness, drive product sales and build loyalty of old customers while attracting new customers.

SKM developed a cohesive, eye-catching campaign that combined existing TOPS media vehicles to new tactics to encompass the dynamic of the Monopoly collect and win game at TOPS. The creative was designed to leverage the prizes to drive customers to “Shop, Play and Win” and build excitement for the game.

SKM produced television and radio spots along with a microsite, to bring together other elements such as a TOPS sponsored Monopoly tournament, sports marketing, in-store advertising and other media and public relations efforts into a full blown multimedia campaign.

The campaign consisted of the following elements:

·       Public relations effort to coordinate Monopoly tournament

·       Television spot http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nngq_oW0M_I

·       Radio spot

·       In-store Radio spot

·       Microsite

·       Social Media plan and execution

·       Billboards

Monopoly Billboard

·       Full size branded window signs

Monopoly windows

·       Zamboni wrap at Buffalo Sabres games

Monopoly Zamboni

·       Dasherboard at Buffalo Sabres games

·       Newspaper Print Ads

·       Mr. Monopoly life size cutout

·       Tent Cards

Monopoly tent cards

·       Floor Decals

·       Trioramas

·       Shelf Talkers

Monopoly shelf takers

·       Lapel Pins

·       Children's Stickers

·       In-Store Banner

·       Winner Board Stanchions

·       Coloring Sheets

RESULTS

The campaign launched on January 10, 2010 and client feedback is positive. Awareness and participating product sales appear to be strong in the first four weeks of the promotion.

Results will be reviewed in more detail after the campaign ends on April 10, 2010.