Redefining ‘Back to School’ for customers
The Back to School period is one of the most high-stakes windows in retail, with 21% of annual stationery, lunch, and hydration sales occurring in just six weeks.
Traditionally, this time is defined by its chaos, but our recent “WIN a Car” campaign proved that through partnership and collaboration, we could create a Retail Media strategy that would transform a high-pressure period into a moment of genuine customer excitement and brand loyalty.
A unique value proposition
To deliver the best results for our partners, we prioritised seamless collaboration and partnering between Woolworths Commercial, Cartology and our suppliers. This timely alignment gave us the strategic window to deliver an innovative and strategic solution. By collaborating with our major Back to School Suppliers, and JAECOO, we offered customers the chance to win a brand-new J5 EV every week throughout January. This provided a compelling reason for customers to choose us for their essential BTS shopping – simply spend $20 on participating brands and scan an Everyday Rewards card to enter.
Breaking the “Four Walls” of Retail
To truly stand out from the traditional retail backdrop, we implemented “out-of-the-box” promotional activities that extended far beyond the shelf:
Physical activations
We placed physical JAECOO display cars in shopping centres around Australia, including Chadstone in Melbourne and Indooroopilly in Brisbane, making the prize tangible and creating a “wow” factor during the daily shop.
Social & influencer integration:
We brought the campaign to life digitally through a live-streamed partnership announcement with JAECOO on the Instagram and TikTok pages of influencer Jules Robinson, reaching a broad range of customers exactly where they spend their time.
Omnichannel saturation:
From weight scale screens and assisted checkout takeovers to digital catalogue features, we ensured the campaign was seemingly integrated across physical and digital touchpoints on the customer journey.
Advice for Trade Partners
The success of this campaign serves as a blueprint for the innovative ways that Trade Partners can partner with us over peak periods, beyond price promotions. Consider the role of physical and digital touchpoints in meeting customers throughout their journey. The in-store environment can help your brand cut-through, create meaningful connections and create a cohesive experience that resonates with customers. By partnering to create these immersive moments, we don’t just sell products; we create destinations that customers are excited to visit, even during the busiest times of the year.
Want to see how your brand can use Retail Media to innovate and connect with customers? Reach out to your Client Partnerships contact directly, or get in touch with the team at Cartology via their online form.
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