ConAgra Brings Publix Back to Campus

Publix and ConAgra Foods once again teamed to entice the parents of returning college students with an incentive offer.The partners reprised the “Back to College” program they staged last year (see “Publix, ConAgra Remain …” in Related Articles) by dangling a reloadable $10 Publix gift card with $30 purchase of select ConAgra products from Aug.1 to Sept. 30.The effort includes a dedicated microsite (backtocollege.apfco.com) that promises, “When You’re Hungry, We’ll Be There.” The site contains the necessary rebate forms and links to a printable coupon for ConAgra's Healthy Choice dinners (on SmartSource.com).Meanwhile, custom displays in stores carry tearpads of one-sheets carrying coupons for SKUs from Peter Pan, Orville Redenbacher’s, Chef Boyardee, Hunt’s Snack Pack and Wolf Brand Chili. A feature in the retailer's Aug. 1 circular with a “Need Food! Please Send Money” message also touted the offer.ConAgra also worked with singularly focused mommy blog "I Heart Publix" to promote the campaign through a sweepstakes awarding a grand-prize $250 store card and five runner-up $25 cards. Consumers enter by leaving comments about what comprises the best college care package.Elsewhere this season, the retailer's Aug. 1 tab contained a full-page feature promoting a "Back to School Sale" on products from Unilever’s Ragu, Dannon Co.’s Danimals Smoothie and General Mills' Cinnamon Toast Crunch. The following week's circular highlighted products from Kraft Foods Group, Campbell Soup Co., Unilever, Top Flight, Hallmark Cards, Dixon Ticonderoga and Bic Corp.In addition to the weekly circulars, the supermarket chain distributed dedicated “Back to School Sale" tabs during those weeks. The Aug. 1 tab spotlighted brands from General Mills, Sun Valley Dairy, Kraft and 11 other manufacturers; the Aug. 8 circular plugged brands from Unilever, Campbell, Kellogg and 10 others.Publix supported the sales online with two home page carousel ads on publix.com, a dedicated Facebook tab linking to the seasonal circulars, and Facebook and Twitter updates. In-store support also includes a stanchion sign in lobbies and a dedicated upfront gondola merchandising school supplies.Elsewhere, a “Tools for Back to School” cause campaign raised funds for local nonprofits. Stanchion signs identified each store's beneficiary (such as The United Way of Palm Beach County) while directing shoppers to in-store shippers to find tearpads of $5, $7 and $10 “donation tickets” and reusable Publix shopping bags. Shoppers who turned in a ticket at checkout to have the amount added to their receipt received one free bag.Among other seasonal activity:An ad in the retailer's Aug. 8 "Health & Wellness" email linked to three articles on its Aisle7 promotional page (see "Walmart Budgets ...") discussing childhood diabetes, vegetarian diets for kids and teaching healthy choices; and two articles on the American Heart Association's heart.org about packing nutritious lunches and inspiring good eating habits.A display ad on publix.com linked to a dedicated “Study the Savings” page on Coupons.com that delivered $6.06 in coupons for brands from Campbell, Kraft, H.J. Heinz Co., Elmer’s Products and Ventura Foods.Publix’s Twitter account promoted branded, printable “lunch notes” to include in children’s lunch boxes. (See Related Images at right.)

P2PI MEMBERS

JOIN P2PI

You May Also Like

Brands Join Stop & Shop's Fight Against Student Hunger

7-Eleven, The Shoe Surgeon Team Up for Football Season