Co-op | Hello Finch x Forever Beta

Thinking differently in convenience

How we won back customers to the Co-op

Project Overview

Co-op had been losing share to rising giants like Aldi. Forever Beta were brought in as partners to seek out opportunities to win customers back.

Working with the new brand proposition ‘Closer to You’ we developed a differentiated convenience positing based around special events.

The Challenge

The challenge for the Co-op was customers were generally happy with where they were shopping, and price wars would only eat into profits.

The Co-op needed to provide customers with a reason to shop with them – recognising for many, convenience meant less choice not more…

The Solution

We found special shopping occasions, such as Valentine’s Day and Easter had the greatest potential to shift behaviour, because it had the best chance at appealing to people’s hearts, not wallets. And so a ‘Special Days’ campaign strategy was created.

As a positioning on it’s own we knew it had dormant potential. Customer’s had affection for the Co-op, but for many it didn’t filter down to an understanding of the benefits to the local community by shopping at the Co-op or indeed, benefits to their actual shopping basket.

We needed to re-awaken this affection and preference by tying the ‘closer to you’ positioning to what the actual benefits of shopping with Co-op were – cementing the convenience pact in a uniquely Co-op way.

The Results

Over 2017, the campaigns Forever Beta developed drove Co-op Food to a 3.4% like-for-like sales increase.

Importantly, customers began to see the Co-op as their destination of choice for special day celebrations. The simple and often heartwarming social films generated buzz and engagement.

Forever Beta reinforced the “closer to you” proposition with the 2017 Co-op Christmas Ad, which brought together local communities and singers to create an iconic version of Blur’s Tender.