How Tesco reinforced its value message with Supermarket Sweep remake
Bringing back a daytime TV favourite proved to be a winning strategy for Tesco.
Tesco focused firmly on a theme of nostalgia to promote its reputation for value as it celebrated its 100th anniversary.
And what better way to highlight that than by bringing back one of the UK’s favourite TV shows? The retailer partnered with ITV and Thames TV to relaunch retro game show Supermarket Sweep, amplifying its creative platform of ‘Prices that take you back’.
ITV2 agreed to air the show at 8pm on weekdays and Tesco helped to build the set while creating idents that brought the programme and campaign together seamlessly.
The studio store used Tesco fonts and colour cues, and was stocked with Tesco own-brand products. Additional activations included social content to help host Rylan Clark-Neal, who replaced the late Dale Winton, prepare for his role.
Twenty episodes of the rejuvenated Supermarket Sweep were broadcast over a four-week period. Tesco also brought back characters including Mr Blobby, Morph and Mr Motivator in other activity.
The campaign came at a crucial time for Tesco, as it sought to battle the rise of rival discount retailers for market share. It chose to deliver its value message in a more emotional way rather than relying solely price-driven communication.
The show proved to be ITV2’s most successful launch in four years, gaining a huge amount of PR coverage, and helping to drive Tesco’s value perception. This also resulted in it winning the 2020 Marketing Week Masters award for sponsorship and partner marketing.
Judges found it hard not to be impressed with the full 360-degree breadth of the campaign, noting “huge cut through and impact to the point of entering the national psyche at the time”, and describing a “great idea to emotionally connect people with the value price concept”.
Tesco also took home the prizes for social media and multichannel marketing for its ‘Prices that take you back campaign’.
