Spar has unveiled a new UK-wide brand positioning aimed at celebrating the unique characteristics of its convenience stores.
The new brand positioning, called ‘The Joy Of Living Locally’, launches in Spar stores and across its digital communication channels in January.
The convenience symbol group is using three new and distinct pillars to bring the positioning to life in-store, which it said will motivate shoppers and help them see how Spar is different to other convenience retail brands. The three pillars are Value on your doorstep; Nurture our neighbourhoods; and Passionate about local.
Each pillar will have its own creative badge, which will also be incorporated into future store designs and across all marketing collateral. The pillars aim to communicate to shoppers how Spar adds value through promotional activity or everyday pricing, nurtures neighbourhoods by employing people from local communities, supports local causes and charities, celebrates neighbourliness, and showcases local food and producers through its passionate about local pillar.
The pillars can work individually or can be brought together into a broader message.
A new bespoke typeface called the ‘Spar scribble’ will be used in-store and on all communications, together with an expanded, distinctive and complementary colour palette to the existing Spar company colours of green, red and white.
All five Spar wholesalers are sharing the new positioning and creative expression with independent retailers and company-owned stores. Brand guidelines, a retailer video and toolkit have been produced to aid with execution.
'Core commonality'
Suzanne Dover, Spar UK brand and marketing director, said: “Since 2020, we have looked at our brand to understand what it really means to our customers. At the same time, we have been in the middle of a pandemic, where our stores have been valued for meeting the needs of consumers for local convenience, availability of products and friendly services, when it was needed most.
“A unique characteristic of Spar is that no two stores are the same, but all are supported by a core commonality – national Spar own-label products, marketing, communications, promotions and store formats. This allows our independent retailers to build on a core framework and proposition. It ensures they can exercise their individual entrepreneurial skill and meet the needs of local shoppers in their stores.
“We saw that we needed to showcase what makes SPAR unique and the meaning behind our strapline ‘There for you’ and as a result ‘The Joy Of Living Locally’ brand positioning was born.'
