Sure, megachains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's can pull off a hip, millennial-savvy vibe. But what about those old-school regional grocers?
Lowes Foods, with around 100 locations in the Carolinas and Virginia, recently set Winston-Salem, N.C., agency The Variable to the task of creating a brand image that breaks most of the usual grocery conventions.
"It's not every day that a client asks you to help them rethink an entire category, much less their entire business," said David Mullen, director of account management for The Variable. "It's been thrilling to partner with the Lowes Foods team to create a new and unique in-store experience, and then market it in provocative ways that stand out in a category known for playing it safe."
The agency describes the new look and tone as "if Pixar created a grocery store, but talked about itself the way BuzzFeed would." The rebrand has rolled out to 14 locations so far, and more are in transition.
Check out some of the grocery store's ads and in-store designs below:
