In today’s ever-competitive world, it is nearly impossible to escape the endless bombarding of advertisements. From billboards, to the less-than-appreciated ads along the margins of websites, we are constantly reminded that there are things to buy. But what do you do when a generation of people have become overexposed and accustomed to the cliched and almost identical marketing tactics employed by these companies? As many companies begin to wean off traditional marketing techniques in exchange for content marketing, Loblaw Companies Limited follows suit but in a slightly different direction.
Instead of taking to twitter and Facebook to promote their products, Loblaw’s strategy involves providing informative videos and interactive discussion boards simply for people to talk about food. Whether it is the best strategy is questionable, but in terms of effectiveness, if executed properly, could unlock great potential. I commend Loblaw for realizing and understanding the growing foodie culture in Canada. Especially in areas like Vancouver where people have come to adopt a more health-conscious lifestyle and who seek detailed information pertaining to their food, Loblaw’s being one of very few food producing businesses to allow access to traditionally unknown, and often, hidden information, could give them the edge in the industry. This is, provided, customers like what they see.