NGA Honors Creative Choice Winners

The National Grocers Association (NGA) has revealed this year’s top winners of its Creative Choice Awards in the Marketing and Merchandising categories. The Outstanding Merchandiser and Outstanding Marketer titles are the highest honors of the Creative Choice Awards contest.

Outstanding Merchandiser was awarded to Festival Foods for its Eat Well ad campaign entry. De Pere, Wis.-based Festival Foods’ team of registered dietitians developed a quarterly Eat Well ad that encompassed affordable and healthy recipes. Within these ads, family favorite recipes were selected and merchandised together in their stores.

Outstanding Marketer was awarded to Broulim’s video campaign, “Hear from Customers Like You.” Rigby, Idaho-based Broulim's hired a film crew to visit the homes of five Broulim's Online customers, and produced various customer testimonial spots and interview highlight videos featuring the personal stories of the benefits and convenience of online grocery shopping were produced for the store. The grocer then launched a video marketing campaign to engage its communities, relay the convenience of grocery shopping online, and get its audience excited about trying the service.

This year’s contest featured new categories and included two winners for each category, one entry from a 1 – 15 store operator and one entry from a 15+ store operator. More than 300 entries were judged based on the criteria of creativity, clarity and effectiveness by a panel of industry experts.

The Outstanding Merchandiser and Outstanding Marketer recipients were selected from a list of category winners and were determined by both the judges, and through online voting, which incorporated nearly 3,000 votes.

“The Creative Choice Awards Contest is a wonderful program that recognizes the talented, creative and innovative campaigns of independent grocers all across the country,” said Peter J. Larkin, president and CEO of Arlington, Va.-based NGA. “It brings attention and acclaim to these fantastic events that add an element of fun and excitement to the shopping experience, and are largely unseen outside of the local market.”

The annual Creative Choice Awards, sponsored by Kellogg's and Unilever, honors the best marketing and merchandising programs in the independent supermarket industry that have boosted store traffic, increased item or department sales, positively impacted overall store sales or provided a unique benefit to the community. Marketing campaigns and merchandising events or promotions held between Dec. 1, 2015, and Dec. 1, 2016, were eligible for this year's contest.

All Award Winners

Marketing

Category 1: Connections through Social Media and Digital Marketing

1 – 15 Store Winner: Broulim’s Video Campaign: Hear from Customers Like You, Broulim’s Fresh Foods

15+ Store Winner: Harps 50% Off Produce, Harps Food Stores


Category 2: Connections through TV and Radio

1 – 15 Store Winner: Kaune’s Branding Campaign, Kaune’s Neighborhood Market

15+ Store Winner: It’s the Little Things, Festival Foods


Category 3: Connections through Print

1 – 15 Store Winner: Shindigs (Holiday Recipe Guide), Newport Avenue Market

15+ Store Winner: MORE Rewards Ad Scape in St. Cloud Times, Coborn’s


Category 4: Integrated Marketing Campaign

1 – 15 Store Winner: Black Box Coffee Bar and Donuttery Grand Opening, Country Harvest

15+ Store Winner: Battle at Bristol Campaign, K-VA-T Food Stores Inc.


Category 5: Grand Opening or Remodel

1 – 15 Store Winner: Ron’s Country Market Remodel, Ron’s Country Market

15+ Store Winner: Harvest Market Grand Opening, Niemann Foods Inc.
 

Merchandising

Category 6: Single Manufacturer Event

1 – 15 Store Winner: Kids Week – Surf’s Up! with Kemps, Chris’ Food Center

15+ Store Winner: Race for the Ryder Cup, Karns Food


Category 7: Store Event

1 – 15 Store Winner: Meet the Ranchers Store Event, Newport Avenue Market

15+ Store Winner: Eat Fresh. Eat Local, Associated Retail Operations


Category 8: Public Service or Charitable Cause Event

1 – 15 Store Winner: WPVGA Potato Contest, Trig’s (T.A. Solberg Co. Inc)

15+ Store Winner: World’s Largest Pineapple Display, Coborn’s


Category 9: Center Store/GM/HBC

1 – 15 Store Winner: Champagne’s Market & Kitchenary

15+ Store Winner: Eat Well ad campaign, Festival Foods


Category 10: Perimeter Departments

1 – 15 Store Winner: Fromage Fantastique, West Seattle Thriftway

15+ Store Winner:  Birchberry Soup Program, Associated Food Stores

 

 

 

 

 

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