SPAR has unveiled a new UK wide brand positioning called ‘The Joy Of Living Locally’.
It has launched in SPAR stores and across its digital communication channels this week. The convenience symbol group will use three pillars to bring the positioning to life in store: ‘Value on your doorstep’, ‘Nurture our neighbourhoods’, and ‘Passionate about local’.
Each pillar will have its own creative badge, which will also be incorporated into future store designs and across all marketing material. The pillars aim to communicate to shoppers how SPAR adds value through promotional activity or everyday pricing, nurtures neighbourhoods by employing people from local communities, supports local causes and charities, celebrates neighbourliness, and showcases local food and producers.
A new typeface, representing the spirit of the brand positioning called the ‘SPAR scribble’, will be used in-store and on all communications, together with an expanded colour palette to the existing SPAR company colours of green, red and white.
Suzanne Dover, SPAR UK Brand & Marketing Director, said: “A unique characteristic of SPAR is that no two stores are the same, but all are supported by a core commonality – national SPAR own label products, marketing, communications, promotions and store formats. This allows our independent retailers to build on a core framework and proposition. It ensures they can exercise their individual entrepreneurial skill and meet the needs of local shoppers in their stores.
“We saw that we needed to showcase what makes SPAR unique and the meaning behind our strapline ‘There for you’ and as a result ‘The Joy Of Living Locally’ brand positioning was born.”
All five SPAR wholesalers in the UK will share the new positioning with independent retailers and company-owned stores. Brand guidelines, a retailer video and a toolkit have been produced to aid with execution.
Dover concluded: “We have taken ‘The Joy Of Living Locally’ into research and consumers love the new positioning and creative expression, saying that it is modern, progressive and a significant step forward for SPAR in the UK.
“Consumers have rapidly reassessed how they have used convenience stores over the past two years and they have told us that when we put the needs of the community at the heart of our offer, it is very motivating for them.”
