1. W H O L E F O O D S M A R K E T
Integrated
Communications Plan
Anonymous Media
Christine Sangalis, Carole Anne Nelson, Sara Leppala, Nicole Murphy, Sam Canedy
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Executive Summary & Overview:
Whole Foods Market (WFM), headquartered in Austin started in 1980, went
public in 1992. With 387 locations worldwide, WFM includes fair prices for crops,
environmentally sound practices, better wages and labor conditions for workers and
strives to offer the highest quality natural and organic food products at competitive
prices. During the downturn of 2008, WFM launched a national initiative dedicated
to reassuring customers that “Values Matter.” In attempting to teach customers how
to get the most out of their food dollar, WFM created programs, education and tips
on finding deals at Whole Foods. Although, WFM’s advertising is done at the local
level due to their decentralization and regional offices that function fairly
autonomously. This flexibility allows the needs of the local community to be met
more authentically.
We have determined Whole Foods Market’s problem to be to expand on their
campaign that emphasizes price and value through in-store events that clearly
illustrate this connection. We have looked at external and internal environments,
coming up with several critical factors. Due to WFM’s primary method of advertising
at a local or regional level, the budget for these events is between $10,000-$20,000.
Each store’s main focus is improving customer’s shopping experiences through their
core values Lastly, due to customers cooking more at home, Whole Foods needs to
emphasize the value their store has to offer.
Anonymous Media has proposed three events at the Whole Foods Post Oak
location, in Houston, Texas. Because this store has recently opened, there is great
opportunity to communicate the value that Whole Foods has to offer and create a
community. The population near this store correlates with our target market, men
and women aged 25-34, who are young professionals. They are health and price
conscious despite being in the mid-upper class.
Our first alternative, Pieces to make the Whole “Drive-Thru” will have bags of
pre-set ingredients with a recipe available for purchase to make meals at home. This
aligns with people cooking more at home and will kick start people’s New Years
Resolution to lose weight. At our second alternative, “Meat” the Chef, Whole Foods
will hire 3 local chefs in Houston to make custom food creations at different stations.
There will be a small band playing and a Whole Foods representative at each
station, explaining the 5-step process the store uses to buy their high-quality meat.
Consumers will also have the opportunity to get a loyalty card for future promotions
in the meat department. Our third alternative is a Craft Beer + Food Pairing social
gathering, “A Draught Pick.” Because WFM Post Oak is the only store with an in-
store brewery, we want to capitalize on this opportunity. This event will have
separate booths for each style of craft beer with a sample of a beer along with a food
pairing that best complement the beer. Whole Foods has already built its reputation
on quality products, so naturally they, too, provide the best quality craft beer and
want to clearly communicate this.
Although we believe all alternatives will be successful, we recommend
Alternative B, “Meat” the Chef. It incorporates esteem with practicality and
knowledge. People generally care about the quality of their meat and would prefer to
buy natural or organic, if price allows. The costs for the event include hiring the
chefs, band, and in-store signage. Further promotion includes social media,
bloggers, and restaurant promotions. This event will be measured through social
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media analytics, number of attendees, number of people getting the loyalty card and
amount of specific meat sales.
Problem:
Due to the recent shift by consumers focusing on value while grocery
shopping, Whole Foods Market needs to expand on their campaign that emphasizes
price and value. By selecting three departments in the store, Whole Foods Market
wants to incorporate events to the campaign to more concisely illustrate the
company’s dedication to price and value.
Critical Factors:
Advertising budget for individual stores is between $10,000-$20,000
Whole Foods Post Oak in Houston, TX opened within the past month (Nov. 6)
Whole Foods recently launched a values campaign
Whole Foods Market primarily advertises at the local level, due to their
decentralization
Since the downturn, consumers are increasingly cooking meals at home
instead of eating out
Each store’s main focus is on improving customers’ shopping experiences
through their core values
Whole Foods Market consumers are health conscious and prefer to buy
organic, natural foods at a reasonable price point
The population surrounding Whole Foods Post Oak consists of young
professionals with young families.
13,513 Whole Foods Market Houston Facebook followers, & 7,872 Twitter
followers
Competitors near Whole Foods Post Oak include HEB, Kroger and The Fresh
Market
Scope and Target:
We believe Whole Foods Market Post Oak is the optimal location to
implement in-store events as it recently opened. At this location, Whole Foods
Market can create a loyal community in the surrounding area. In addition, we believe
an event campaign will be more successful at a specific location due to Whole Foods
Market’s focus and expertise on regional and local advertising.
Through our campaign, we want to get customers in the store for a grocery
shopping experience. We want to emphasize the price/value connection that Whole
Foods Market has to offer through in-store events and promotions. Following the
economic downturn, grocery shoppers have been more price conscious and are
more receptive to promotional tools for groceries. Although 54% of grocery shoppers
say their primary reason for choosing a grocery retailer is price comparison, 32%
choose retailers based on promotion. By illustrating the quality of the ingredients and
products Whole Foods has to offer, customers will be more understanding of the
value of the food they purchase at the price it is sold at.
We are targeting men and women aged 25-34, who are young professionals.
Affluent residential areas, as well as many offices and the Galleria surround whole
Foods Market Post Oak. There are over 60,000 people in the same 77056 zip code
combined with the adjacent zip code, 77057. Close to 30% in both zip codes are
between the ages of 21-34, which aligns with our target. Although they are in the
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mid-upper class, they are still price conscious and looking for good deals on their
groceries, without sacrificing quality. This target is technologically advanced and
engages on social media with both friends and brands.
Alternatives
Alternative A. “Pieces to make the Whole” Drive-Thru
With the shift of consumers increasingly cooking at home and placing more
emphasis on value while grocery shopping, we recommend Whole Foods Post Oak
create a “Drive-Thru” of pre-set ingredients to make meals at home. To jump on the
New Years Resolution bandwagon of weight loss, the drive-thru will last for three
weeks during the month of January. Depending on budget and availability, Whole
Foods can either have a food truck or tent near the entrance of the store for easy
accessibility to consumers on their way in or out of the grocery store.
The “drive-thru” will have meals with pre-measured ingredients, so that all the
customer has to do is follow the instructions to cook the meal to perfection. There
will be options of meals for two, four, or six people. A limited menu will be provided
to make the event feasible but all meals will revolve around healthy meals, which will
include a main course and a side item. A selection of healthy meals is increasingly
more and more important, particularly at the beginning of the New Year and Whole
Foods Market will successfully integrate this preference into the drive-thru event.
This event is targeted to the primary grocery shoppers of families. These
families are affluent yet health and price conscious customers who have shopped at
Whole Foods before. During the New Year, this event will be relevant to a family who
has an exceptionally busy schedule and is looking to create healthy, affordable
meals.
How does this pertain to value? Grocery shoppers, since the downturn,
associate value with cooking at home, rather than eating out. Whole Foods offers
quality ingredients and this event will be cost effective for families. It is less
expensive than eating out or picking up take out as well as can be less expensive
than other prepared foods inside the store. In addition, if people buy two or more
meals during the two weeks of the drive-thru, they will receive a discount. This will
be beneficial since grocery shoppers are very responsive to promotional tools.
To promote this event, Whole Foods will rely on online media as well as in-
store advertising, starting at the end of the December and continuing into January.
The event will be promoted online both through the website as well as all social
media accounts. The target market is active on social media and technology,
creating a better opportunity to generate awareness and buzz. To promote the
“drive-thru” in stores, Whole Foods should set a banner at the future site of the
“drive-thru.” There should be signage throughout the store, as Whole Foods
frequently advertises for other promotions. In addition, the cashiers should start word
of mouth buzz to give out specific information about the event.
Whole Foods is able to measure this event through two different ways. On
social media, the number of likes, shares, and comments can measure the
awareness and exposure before, during, and after the event. To measure the
success during the event, Whole Foods can measure how many people bought the
meals or how many people stop at the drive-thru versus how many people actually
bought a meal. In addition, Whole Foods can draft a survey after the event is over.
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Selling the food should cover many of the costs. The social media experts are
already employed and the signage around the store already exists. The banner and
tent (or if already owned food truck) will be low cost.
PRO: Low budget as many of the costs will be covered by selling the food
PRO: Geographic location around Whole Foods matches the family-oriented
target market
PRO: Cost, time, and health conscious
CON: Limited menu per day
CON: Families might want to cook their own meals or already have
ingredients
CON: The drive thru could create traffic in the parking lot
Alternative B: “Meat” the Chefs
Because Whole Foods customers are concerned with the quality of their food
and prefer to buy natural when price permits, this alternative will introduce the 5-step
process that Whole Foods uses to buy its meat. The 5-step process emphasizes
animal welfare standards that include no crates, enriched environment, enhanced
outdoor access, pasture centered, and animal centered. Whole Foods needs to
clearly educate their consumers about the 5-step process to create a sense of value
with their meat department. Whole Foods will introduce these 5 steps to their
customers through a special event called “Meat” the Chef.
At “Meat” the Chef, Whole Foods will hire 3 local, well known chefs in
Houston to make custom food creations using different meats and other items sold
purely at Whole Foods. Each chef will have their own station with branded signs with
their information such as their name and restaurant. The specific meat used in each
chef’s recipe would be on display at their station, as well as a coupon for each item.
There will be recipe cards for each of the chef’s creation, so the consumers can
make top chef creations at home. This will be beneficial because grocery shoppers
are very responsive to promotional tools. Most consumers like the thrill of a bargain
and this discount can foster a long-term relationship with shoppers.
To link the 5-step process to the event, a Whole Foods representative will be
positioned at each chef’s station explaining the process of buying the meat, how the
animals are raised and where the meat comes from. They will be there to answer
any questions the consumer may have, and encourage the consumer to visit the
other stations. The representative will hand out the previously mentioned recipe
cards, with information about the 5-step process on the back as well as free samples
of the food that the chef is creating.
In order to draw attention to the event, there will be a small band playing. The
choice of the band will be up to Whole Foods Post Oak. We encourage Whole Foods
to hire an upbeat, acoustic trio to create a fun atmosphere for consumers to enjoy
the event further.
At the “Meat” the Chef event, consumers will also be encouraged to apply for
a loyalty card for future promotions and discounts in the meat department. Research
shows that more than 50% of consumers say that they spend more and shop more
regularly with loyalty cards in order to earn more points. “Meat” the Chef will
introduce consumers to the value of shopping in Whole Foods’ meat department and
then the loyalty card will encourage them to continue to shop with us. The loyalty
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card will align with the value that Whole Foods has to offer, especially in their meat
department.
This event will be held during Fall on a Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.,
during prime grocery shopping hours. This will allowing Whole Food’s to hire local
chefs from restaurants who close after brunch on Sundays as well as have the event
during a high traffic period.
This event will be catered to 25-34 year olds who are looking for good deals
while grocery shopping, but don’t want to sacrifice quality. This target will be
receptive to this type of event because the target enjoys cooking and are price
conscious. Since this Whole Foods’ recently opened, this event will help draw our
target market away from local competitors and into Whole Foods’ meat department
for future purchases.
This target market is technologically advanced and will be best reached
online. Advertising for this event well start a month before the event. Since the
Whole Foods Houston Twitter and Facebook have a large following, the event will be
promoted through these platforms. Whole Foods will also encourage local food and
health bloggers to attend the event. To further push the event, in-store signage will
be placed at the entrance of Whole Foods and throughout the meat department.
Flyers will also be placed at Whole Foods registers and at the chef’s restaurants.
This event will be measured through social media analytics, number of attendees,
number of people getting the loyalty card and amount of specific meat sales.
PRO: Easily adaptable to other stores in the region
PRO: Emphasizes the quality and value of the meat department
PRO: Combines highly regarded chefs with knowledge of Whole Foods meat
preparation
CON: Could be costly or difficult to bring in chefs
CON: Alienates vegetarians
CON: Might be hard to measure as people already buy meat
Alternative C. Draught Pick
Over the past few years, there has been a significant shift in consumer
preference when it comes to their beer of choice. The general hype has been about
the gradual shift of preference to wine and spirits, but another shift has taken place
from manufactured beer to craft brewed beer. A craft brewery has been defined as a
small, independent brewery with an emphasis on a culture that manufactures beer
with flavor either derived from traditional or innovative brewing ingredients. Because
of this trend toward the consumption of craft beer, we recommend Whole Foods
Post Oak take full advantage of their one-of-a-kind, in-house brewery.
The key target market for this product is males aged 25-34, which aligns with
the audience Whole Foods should reach. The style of beer is the biggest driving
factor when making a purchase and despite this style preference they still have a
desire to try new styles, as long as there is some familiarity in the style of beer.
Another important fact to mention is the importance of food pairing with this category
of beer. This beer category is a social beer, not the kind of beer that is guzzled in
order to get inebriated. This information leads us to our main idea for the event to be
hosted during the Summer for approximately 3 hours at Whole Foods Market Post
Oak: A Craft Beer + Food Pairing social gathering.
This event will have separate booths for each style of craft beer. So a booth
for IPA, bitters, stout, etc. Served at each booth will be a sample of a beer along with
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a selection of food pairings that best complement the beer. The food paired with
each style of beer will be chosen from the other departments throughout the store.
Since there will be an emphasis on a small selection of beer brands with one event,
if the event is successful, there is the possibility of repeating the event and highlight
another brand offered by Whole Foods Market. To really tie in to the in-house
brewery, we recommend that we let the decision of which beer to highlight be left to
the brew master and his staff.
What is the value this event brings to WFM consumers? Whole Foods has
already built its reputation on quality products, so naturally they provide the best
quality craft beer. Craft beer consumers, as we stated previously, are not looking for
something to be guzzled to achieve inebriation—they look for a beer that can be
savored and appreciated. This idea of savoring the nutrition Whole Foods Market
provides its customers is a branch of the value you provide. The consumers to which
Whole Foods caters seek the nutritional value at an affordable price.
This target audience is best reached online. They are a highly technological
and a constantly connected demographic with access to the Internet via their mobile
devices. Heavy advertisement of the event should be conducted on WFM website
and social media platforms. Promotion for this event will also be done throughout the
store a week to a week and a half prior to the event with banners and signage at all
entrances. For all mailers WFM releases to its loyal customers, the event should
also be promoted. As previously mentioned, this audience wants to share about their
preferences and gain information and suggestions from others. Whole Foods Market
should create a space online for its customers to interact with each other and with
Whole Foods brew master and staff. Whole Foods Market Post Oak should also
reach out to local beer bloggers and heavily followed individuals to personally invite
them to attend the event. This age group is already in the workforce, so there is also
the opportunity to send a care package to neighborhood firms to entice this audience
to attend the event.
To measure the success of the event we will look at the engagement on
social media, number of attendants, sales of the beer and food highlighted during the
event.
Pro: Low cost
Pro: Community event
Pro: Aligns with the demographic in the area
Con: Because this product is preferred by men; we alienate half of the target
audience.
Con: May be difficult to adapt to other locations
Conclusion & Recommendation:
Although we believe all alternatives have the capability to successful and
each event will integrate values into the campaign, recommend Alternative B, “Meat”
the Chefs. We have come to this conclusion through both primary and secondary
research. Through a verbal survey, people in our target market overwhelmingly
chose this alternative. In our secondary research, we found important statistics to
back up our recommendation. While 54% of grocery shoppers choose a grocery
retailer based on price comparison, 32% choose based off of promotions, 30%
choose based off their loyalty cards and 17% choose based off of the selection of
natural or organic foods.
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We have chosen Alternative B because it incorporates esteem (highly
regarded chefs) with practicality (discount, recipe and loyalty card opportunity). In
addition, people generally care about the quality of their meat and would prefer to
buy natural or organic, if price allowed. Meat appeals to many different types of
people - families, singles, couples, friends. Therefore, this event will appeal to those
beyond our target market as well. Although this event will not apply to vegetarians,
we still believe the benefits will outweigh this con. This alternative is measurable as
well as offers people the chance to come back - for future “Meat” the Chefs events
as well as for meat through the loyalty card program.
Creative Brief:
Why are we advertising? What is the advertising objective?
Whole Foods Market is advertising to convince consumers to go to the event, “Meat”
the Chef. The advertising objective is to create value for customers enticing them to
shop at Whole Foods.
Whom are we talking to?
Men and women ages 25-34 who are young professionals, with steady jobs and
disposable incomes. They are price conscious but willing to spend when value is for
the best quality. These consumers often will shop at a variety of grocery stores to
purchase their groceries. They shop at Whole Foods Market to take advantage of
the specialty goods they provide, like meat, seafood, produce, and cheese.
What do they currently think?
Customers may be uneducated, and unaware about the value Whole Foods Market
offers, and unsure if the Whole Foods Market quality is worth the higher prices.
What would we like them to think?
Whole Foods wants consumers to know that value matters to them and that they
offer quality ingredients at competitive prices.
What is the single most persuasive idea we can convey?
Whole Foods Market puts all of their resources into creating the best overall value
for their customers.
Why should they believe it and what are the benefits to the consumer?
Consumers should not sacrifice the quality of their food, especially meat products.
Are there any creative guidelines? What is the brand personality?
The creative guidelines need to show Whole Foods as a value driven, a community
oriented, quality brand that will not compromise the quality and care of their
products.
Media Plan
1. What target audience should be reached by the media?
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Our target are Culinary Connoisseurs that consist of men and women ages 25-34
who are young professionals, with steady jobs and disposable incomes and an
interest or passion for food or culinary arts.
2. To which geographic market(s) should the message be directed?
The messages will be directed to the residential and business area around the Post
Oak store, in the store itself, and at the restaurants the local chefs have come from.
3. How far into the target audience can the advertising reach given budget
constraints?
The advertising will be able to reach a variety of segments within our target through
the in store banners and displays, flyers at the cash register that will engage our
target especially if they are buying meat products, food bloggers, the restaurant
goers and various following on social media.
4. With what frequency should the message reach the target audience
during the campaign?
Frequency is a critical component to this campaign to engage with Culinary
Connoisseurs. As the event draws closer the frequency will increase. Similarly, the
more Culinary Connoisseurs are aware of our event the more attendance and buzz
will be created. With the in-store banner and flyers at the register, every time a
customer shops at whole foods and is checking out they will receive a flyer reminder
of the event with their purchase. Also the in store banner allows for a high frequency
for regular shoppers. Social media and bloggers will be a reminder after an overall
awareness of the event is offered by Whole Foods in stores.
5. At which times should the message reach the intended audience?
We will start promoting for the event one month before the event takes place. The
flyers will be printed and at the register of Whole foods for all four weeks before the
event. Social media engagement will be ongoing.
6. What type of media and/or specific vehicle provides the best match
between the intended market and the actual audience?
The best media will be the in store banner and flyers at the registers because as our
Culinary Connoisseurs buying meat in store and this encounter will be a relevant
event for the customer. The second media that will provide a great match for our
Culinary Connoisseurs will be social media and bloggers. Our target is
technologically savvy and are passionate about cooking, therefore food blogs and
pinterest boards for inspiration to find recipes are another avenue for advertising.
7. Which support functions will best ensure the effective performance of
the selected media plan?
A communication planner will ensure that the campaign is running smoothly and
moving parts are working together in unison with a distinct voice.
Additional Comments
Depending on the budget, the “Meat” the Chef alternative can add or subtract
the amount of chefs at the event and could also be repeated once a month.
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Based off of promotional and first few days of success, it is important to
account for the amount of meals to be pre-made in “Pieces to make the
Whole” Drive-Thru.
Anyone of these alternatives could be carried out throughout the year.
Evaluation and Measurement
To measure the alternative, “Meat” the Chef, we will use a variety of tools. First, we
will measure the promotion of the event through our social media efforts. The
amount of likes, shares, and comments will be measured to see the success of the
promotion as well as the level of the engagement with consumers before the event.
At the event, we will see how many people pick up the recipe cards from the chef’s
station. The Whole Foods representatives will also be there to see how many people
come by the event. In addition, the event will be measured through how many
people sign up for the loyalty cards, and how many people buy the meat during the
hours of the event.
Research
We conducted secondary research on Whole Foods Market, the geographic location
of Whole Foods Market, the population and target market surrounding the store, as
well as grocery retailing behaviors. Our secondary research came from Mintel
reports, PRIZM Claritas reports, as well as websites such as Whole Foods Market’s
website and social media pages as well as pages with information about craft beer,
meat and loyalty programs. In addition to our secondary research, in order to choose
our alternative, we conducted primary research. The respondents almost
unanimously decided “Meat” the Chef would be successful and an attractive event
pertaining to value.
Sources:
http://www.craftbeer.com/the-beverage/what-is-craft-beer
http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.lib.utexas.edu/display/680491/
http://academic.mintel.com.ezproxy.lib.utexas.edu/display/637799/
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/mission-values/core-values
http://academic.mintel.com/display/680600/#atom1
http://www.claritas.com/MyBestSegments/Default.jsp?ID=20&menuOption=ziplooku
p&pageName=ZIP%2BCode%2BLookup
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/231439/will-national-ads-help-whole-
foods.html
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/about-our-products/quality-standards/animal-
welfare-standards
Research for Alternatives:
More than 50% of consumers said they took some action, such as shopping
more frequently at a store or spending more on a single order to earn loyalty
rewards.
Nearly 4 in 10 consumers prefer stores with loyalty programs
24% of males and 31% of females age 18-34 said price is the most
important when buying products and services
more than half say they like to try new alcoholic beverages and about half
want to know more about what beverages pair with what foods.
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4 in 10 respondents say they want to know how these beverages are made
beer drinks are looking more for premiumisation in the beers they choose
o 37% of respondents agree that smaller producers make better quality
alcoholic drinks than larger producers
when selecting craft beer, respondents are most apt to say beer style factors
into their selection, reflecting the many different varieties of craft beer and
that craft beer drinkers are likely to drink craft beer because of the range of
styles the category offers
ages 22-34 this group is interested in trying new types and flavors and will be
the most open to new products.
o family, bartenders, and online sources = influential to their selection
o 25-34 year olds = key target audience for craft beer
o more willing than any other beer category to try new things but seek
some kind of guidance and familiarity
o men are more engaged than women
o appealing to the interests of young consumers of legal drinking age,
with the goal of engaging them for the long haul will be particularly
important
o Household income appears as the strongest determiner of craft beer
purchase
keeping affordable offerings available will be important to
engaging a wider consumer base
The importance of food pairing to the category can be seen in the fact that
nearly half of users drink craft beer with a meal
General Research:
Post Oak Whole Foods Market in Houston
Located near the Galleria
Features: first in-store brewery more than 500 local Houston products, a
boutique-style eco-friendly clothing and accessory space, and a Souvlaki grill
Demographics: 77056:
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Grocery Retailing:
“More than half of primary grocery shoppers choose their specific retailer
because prices are better compared to other stores.”
“Among those who shop in stores only, more than two thirds say they choose
certain retailers because they are located close to where they live and more
than half say they know their way around the store.”
Nearly half of all primary grocery shoppers surveyed say they usually use
coupons when grocery shopping and 42% look at retailers’ circulars either in-
store or online to see what’s on sale.
Grocery Pricing and Promotion:
Previously, consumers sought out the cheapest possible deal but today
consumers respond to pricing and promotional strategies that are more
relevant to their individual needs.
While nearly all consumers are “price sensitive” the majority of shoppers also
can be defined as “promotion sensitive.” The 53% of respondents that mostly
buy what they need but find space for a few small treats are a prime audience
for pricing and promotion strategies.
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Three out of Four women like the thrill of a bargain. Grocers might
occasionally offer products at a substantial discount in order to foster a long-
term relationship with female shoppers.
Half of parents switch brands based on specials -- 44% will continue buying a
product at full price if they like it.
Mobile coupons can attract young consumers -- Half of respondents aged 18-
24 would be more likely to shop at a store that offers mobile coupons.
Grocers are not limited in a race to the bottom pricing strategy, however.
Strategic promotions can add value for each individual consumer without
sinking a store’s overall bottom line.