Safeway Prepares a Digital Holiday Meal

Safeway is delivering holiday solutions to on-the-go consumers through a mobile application for iPhone users and a mobile-optimized microsite for the rest of the population.The “Safeway Chef Assistant” app guides users through the process of preparing the company’s proprietary “two-hour turkey” recipe. (See "Safeway Cooks Up ..." in Related Articles.) It provides a step-by-step guide, along with additional tips, answers to common questions, video demonstrations, a shopping list and a timer with pre-set reminders.The supermarket retailer's first company-wide app, the Chef Assistant was released in November and carries branding for a number of chains on its landing page. (The retailer's first app of any kind launched just days earlier. See "Dominick's Tries ...") Plugged at the end of the retailer’s Thanksgiving-themed TV spots, it has been continually promoted through ads on chain websites. The app has garnered numerous positive reviews on the iPhone app store, which hints at the imminent arrival of additional features, content and recipes that will likely extend its relevance beyond the holiday season.Meanwhile, Safeway’s “Holiday Inspirations” mobile site offers ideas, tips and tricks in four categories: “Holiday Meals,” “Entertaining,” “Baking” and “Beverages.” Among the site's content sources are entertaining and decor expert Debi Lilly (see Related Articles) and Jeff Anderson, executive chef of Safeway’s "Culinary Kitchens" think tank for product and recipe development. The site also carries savings opportunities (currently “Great Wines Under $15”), a store locator and links to follow Safeway on Facebook and Twitter. The app and mobile site are operated by San Francisco-based 5th Finger. The full version of the site is accessible through a tab embedded on each chain’s website, and is also plugged via home-page leaderboard ads and Facebook status updates.“There’s an opportunity to build broader awareness of all that Safeway has to offer to alleviate seasonal stress,” said president of marketing Mike Minasi. “With our new Holiday Inspirations website and the Chef Assistant mobile application, Safeway provides inspiring solutions to help with holiday menus and events.”In other online seasonal activity, Safeway recently staged an “LOL Turkey” Facebook sweepstakes. (See Related Promotional Activity.)

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