"365" By Whole Foods! - By Joel Albrizio
By Joel Albrizio, President, Adlife Marketing & Communications
Whole Foods..."365" Branding Simplicity Through Digital!
"Whole Foods Needs & Finds A New Twist In 365"
It seems when Whole Foods looked for a new go to market strategy Whole Foods wanted to incorporate a digital intellect. So was it digital first and a supermarket concept to be built around it or was it to be a supermarket proved digitally interesting through sales building efforts.
The Simplification Concept Through Digital?
The physical plant is streamlined. The departments are downsized and some service departments are almost now non departments or prepackaged side wall perishables verses the full service counters prepared to supply your every retail food desire.
A Snipit From Geek Wire.....
365’s technology also extends to larger display signs beyond the tags, where screens promote sales or in-store programs. While grocers have typically relied on hand-lettered posters or chalkboard displays to relay information, it seems like a no-brainer in 2016 to deliver it all via vibrant, ever-changing screens.
The technological advances of the new brand even reach consumers through their personal electronic devices. The My 365 Rewards program is a 100 percent digital loyalty program that offers personalized recommendations, tailored content and special deals based on shopper preferences.
Digital punch cards offer deals on favorite items. “Gimme 10” deals, promoted on the end caps of product aisles, provide 10 percent off featured goods.
There seem to mobile apps to provide information on item selections like wine where typically the customer would either understand immediately any possible section or have to do their own research themselves.
Kiosks seem to be service alternatives instead of the look you in the eyes direct contact.
In short, the 365 format is a new concept where the north star is still a little fuzzy. My only thought when reading more and more about 365 and where Whole Foods is headed is smilingly a very digital high brow version of what we know today as Traders Joe's.
Retail facility selling space and department space allocation trend in a similar fun retail experience with a quicker more functional shop. If the order is larger or smaller, to be consumed now or later the basics are to be found with a healthier twist.
If we close our eyes and envision artist illustrated graphics rather than the digital 365 presentation it seems these two retail food offerings appear more alike that either retailer might like to admit.
Understanding that retail is looking to be smaller going forward who better to learn from in the healthy food space than Trader Joe's.
I (Joel Albrizio) like this new offering in theory but I am still not entirely convinced on the end game.
365 is something cooler than Aldi, deeper that Trader Joe's and less expensive than its "Big Brother Whole Foods" so this might just the a real sweet spot coming in retail food offerings.
In closing, many have asked why I choose to write about what I see in the supermarket industry today and my ideas. At Adlife we believe great ideas and its resulting branding will give new life and direction to any company. So for that reason we chose to open the discussion.
Joel M. Albrizio, President PreparedFoodPhotos.com & Adlife Marketing & Communications
Follow Me On Twitter @joelalbrizio or right here on LinkedIn!
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