INDEX
RETAIL PROMO GUIDE
2020
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The 2020 Retail Promo Guide outlines the major seasonal promotions conducted by 11 key retailers, presenting information from the Path to Purchase Institute's library of Retailer Profiles and market intelligence. P2PI members can also find additional category-specific micro-occasions for these 11 retailers — as well as complete promotional guides for another 21 retailers — within the calendar section of their respective retailer profiles.
RETAIL PROMO GUIDE 2020
JANUARY Healthy Living: Multi-channel campaign spotlights food, fitness and OTC brands for healthy New Year’s resolutions without a unifying signage package; includes Wellness Day in-store events. Cold & Flu: Relevant products spotlighted via secondary merchandising. Super Bowl: Long-running “Game Time” campaign concludes a season-long merchandising program that launches each August. The finale includes in-house and custom P-O-P materials (mostly in grocery departments), sampling events, activity on walmart.com and partnerships with official brand sponsors. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY Tax Season: Third-party tax preparation kiosks in stores, merchandising of related software and a communication push to spend refund checks at the chain. Valentine’s Day: Fueled by a seasonal sign package spotlighting gifts and other relevant products. Dry Skin Season: Multi-brand pallet display in Action Alley. Brands increasingly also support with their own activity. Academy Awards: In 2019, the spotlight was on apparel with fashion-focused TV spots running during the broadcast as well as in-store displays and online support. ____________________________________________________ MARCH Easter/Spring: An extensive merchandising effort showcasing confectionery and other basket-fillers, including many exclusive SKUs. The activity includes a spring-cleaning focus via custom displays. March Madness: Activity is mostly supplied by official NCAA partner brands. Allergy: A spotlight on relevant products via ad space and temporary displays, with no unifying sign package. Custom digital content supports. Lawn & Garden: Discounts on outdoor living and lawn & garden products. Women’s History Month: Low-key spotlight of a commitment to supporting women-owned businesses. National Cereal Day: Post lead the activity in 2019 by supplying in-store displays. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Fight Hunger. Spark Change: A five-week campaign in collaboration with brands that benefits Feeding America receives support from traditional media as well as a strong social push, plus in-store P-O-P materials and, in some cases, custom packaging. ____________________________________________________ MAY Cinco de Mayo: Relevant brands take advantage of the holiday to spotlight their products in stores and online. Mother’s Day: Print and signage activity with a heavy focus on jewelry and other giftables. Grilling/Memorial Day: The summer-long marketing campaign shines a spotlight on Walmart's premium beef offering via customized displays and various supporting activity from suppliers such as Tyson and Johnsonville. Custom digital content also supports. Bike Month: In-store signs and circular features spotlight bicycles. Graduation: Fringe activity includes an in-store spotlight on gifts and office supplies. ____________________________________________________ JUNE Father’s Day: A sign package supported by digital activation that puts the spotlight on giftables. Summer: Themed custom displays, circular features and online activity start trickling in as early as April, gaining critical mass in June and supporting throughout the season; includes a strong focus on skin-care items and automotive supplies for road trip season, but also makes room for categories such as confectionery. Pride Month: Inclusive activity has rapidly increased in recent years and in 2019 included a dedicated e-commerce shop as well as in-store displays. ____________________________________________________ JULY Summer/4th of July: A second wave of promotions on grilling needs and seasonal merchandise before back-to-school activity takes over the marketing plan. The summer-long activity also includes a strong patriotic theme and puts a spotlight on "Made in America" products. The Big Save/Black Friday in July: Walmart sought to take a bite out of Amazon's Prime Day sales with its own special event in 2019. The event ran July 14-17 and included thousands of online special buys and Rollbacks. In stores, pallet displays merchandised "Black Friday in July" deals. Back to School/College: A massive, multi-channel program that includes exclusive overlays from top CPGs. Participating categories range from school supplies to personal care items and cosmetics, and in 2019 even included cleaning products. ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Back to School/College ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER Cold & Flu: Promotion for in-store flu shots is supported by relevant OTC and cleaning brands, which receive a season-long spotlight. Game Time: Kick-off to the season-long campaign that often includes custom displays from brands. Grilling: A focus on tailgating extends the occasion into fall. Best of Baby: A new addition in 2019 includes online savings, in-store events and an incentivized car seat trade-in program for National Baby Safety Month. Holiday: Launch of a seasonal layaway program provides an early kickoff to activity. ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Halloween: In-store merchandising program that generally includes exclusive products and digital support. Can start trickling in as early as September. Breast Cancer Awareness: General merchandising of “pink” products has been on the decline. ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Veteran's Day: Backing off the “Greenlight a Vet” campaign that encourages shoppers to change one home light to green to visibly support veterans, Walmart in 2019 hosted a Shopkick promotion from Unilever’s Suae. Thanksgiving: Black Friday gets its own custom P-O-P plan, with most deals available online all day on Thanksgiving; Cyber Monday is one of multiple online-only sales events. Holiday: A huge media and P-O-P program that brings custom displays to stores and extensive content to walmart.com; incorporates multiple exclusive SKUs and other manufacturer-specific activity. ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Holiday
JANUARY New Year: Digital, in-store and circular activity spotlights fitness equipment, apparel and accessories, and good-for-you packaged food. Super Bowl: Circular and digital activity leading up to the game highlights deals on party necessities. Manufacturers activating their NFL sponsorships sometimes receive secondary merchandising space in stores. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY Valentine’s Day: A takeover of the seasonal department boasts product exclusives. ____________________________________________________ MARCH Easter: A takeover of the seasonal department with plenty of exclusive product offerings and circular support. March Madness: Themed CPG promotions in store and online typically from NCAA sponsors. Lawn & Garden: Merchandising program in the seasonal department spotlights patio furniture in addition to typical lawn care items. Spring Cleaning: Household brands tapped for circular and display activity, often involving exclusive promotions. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Allergy Relief: Dedicated endcaps in the pharmacy department spotlight relevant OTC products; digital and circular activity supports. Earth Month: Tied in to the month's designation and "Earth Day" in 2019 by launching private label Everspring, a line of sustainable cleaning and household essentials. Also runs a car-seat recycling program, and circular and in-store activity occasionally spotlights green SKUs. ____________________________________________________ MAY National Pet Month: Online, in-store and circular activity highlights the pet department and bulk-purchase incentives. Mother’s Day: A spotlight on gift ideas via seasonal signage and circulars. Summer: Season-long merchandising program focuses on private label, seasonal line (e.g. Sun Squad in 2019) as well as relevant products storewide. ____________________________________________________ JUNE Father’s Day: A spotlight on gift ideas via circulars and seasonal signage. Pride Month: Spotlight on rainbow-adorned apparel and accessories under a "Take Pride" message in select stores. Colorful products also available on target.com/pride. ____________________________________________________ JULY Back to College: A broad program with a focus on electronics and dorm-room furnishings employs a strong digital component. Back to School: A corresponding program puts a greater emphasis on a bulked-up inventory of apparel, accessories and stationery. Summer Sale: Runs a summer-themed, online sale for one or two days in July to indirectly compete with Amazon's Prime Day event. ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Football: Football-themed displays from manufacturers including NFL sponsor PepsiCo earn secondary merchandising space. ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER Football/Tailgating: Continues with a typical emphasis on TVs and electronics, generally bolstered by a cross-merchandising promotion tying into the annual August video release of EA Sports’ Madden NFL. ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Halloween: A takeover in the seasonal department boasts plenty of product exclusives. Breast Cancer Awareness: Very minimal attention to cause-benefitting products from a handful of vendors. Cold & Flu: OTC and related SKUs spotlighted in stores. In 2019, a push for in-store flu vaccinations was supported with signage and a $5 store gift card incentive. ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Thanksgiving: In-store and print spotlight fresh and frozen food and packaged goods. Holiday: A steady onslaught of sales events with toys, electronics and exclusive packaged goods receiving the main focus. ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Green Monday: Observed on the second Monday in December and boasts savings on target.com. Holiday
JANUARY New Year: Protein powders, workout gear, vitamins and other wellness-related items enjoy secondary merchandising space in stores and get a spotlight via circulars and meijer.com. Cold & Flu: Displays and circular features tout OTC SKUs and household cleaning supplies. Super Bowl: Packaged foods, beverages, snacks and party essentials get the spotlight in stores and circulars. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY Valentine’s Day: Circular features and displays promote alcoholic beverages, confectionery, baked goods and flowers. ____________________________________________________ MARCH March Madness: Official NCAA sponsors lead in-store and digital activity, which centers on a web page offering recipes from the brands and plugging electronics and party foods. Allergy Season: OTC remedies and related SKUs get spotlight in stores and circulars. St. Patrick's Day: Displays and circular features focus on themed apparel along with Irish food and drinks. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Easter: Displays merchandise basket fillers and toys with digital activity supporting. Spring Cleaning: Displays spotlight relevant products from major brands. Summer/Grilling: Secondary displays elevate seasonal needs. Tax Season: Tax preparing software enjoys secondary display space in stores with digital activity supporting. ____________________________________________________ MAY Cinco de Mayo: Display ads on meijer.com plug relevant products. Grilling: Displays and circular features group together relevant products from packaged food brands. National Pet Month: Signage, digital and circular activity spotlights the category. Mother's Day/Father's Day: Display ads on meijer.com and circular features tout gift ideas such as chocolates from national brands. Summer: Displays highlight sun protection products and sunburn treatments in stores. Memorial Day: Offers deals on party needs. Lawn & Garden: Endcaps group together supplies from major brands. ____________________________________________________ JUNE Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give: Activity touts the annual golf tournament and the retailer's CPG co-sponsors. Father's Day: ____________________________________________________ JULY Fourth of July: CPG items employing patriotic signage and displays get secondary merchandising in stores. Back to School: A mix of retailer-driven and account-specific activity engages shoppers across the store. ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Back to School: Action alley is dominated by back-to-school-themed pallet displays from major CPGs. Typically runs promotions tying in to General Mills' evergreen "Box Tops for Education" cause program. ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER Football/Tailgating: Activates its sponsorship of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Big Ten Conference and teams up with multiple CPGs to promote tailgating needs. Halloween: Confectionery and other themed SKUs enjoy significant secondary display space. A takeover in the seasonal department encompasses costumes, candy and related SKUs. ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Halloween ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Black Friday: In 2019, ran a two-day "door buster" sale offered deals on items including consumer electronics on Thanksgiving and Black Friday. Circular activity supported. Cyber Week: Offers weeklong deals. Holiday: Massive omnichannel campaign includes a gift guide, sweepstakes, displays and purchase incentives. ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Holiday
JANUARY New Year: Combines ExtraBucks rewards for weight-loss, smoking-cessation, sleep aids and other personal care/wellness products and better-for-you snacks with lifestyle information. Particularly elevates vitamins and supplements with a two-week "Wellness Savings Event." Cold & Flu: Season-long campaign pushes immunization and presents ExtraCare deals on cold remedies. Account-specific displays and signs, digital activity and circular features support. Super Bowl: A purchase incentive or ExtraBucks rewards incorporating dozens of brands including official NFL sponsors; also includes custom P-O-P materials. Valentine's Day: Fueled by a seasonal signage package and circular support helping to promote gifts with special emphasis placed on candy and greeting cards from Hallmark. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY American Heart Month: Multi-channel, month-long campaign offering free, preventative heart screenings all month-long at in-store MinuteClinics, in recent years activating the retailer’s national sponsorship of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement. Easter: ExtraCare deals on confectionery and other basket-fillers, which get secondary placement in the seasonal aisle and strong feature support. Brands often provide exclusive seasonal SKUs, while a custom signage package rounds out the activity. ____________________________________________________ MARCH Spring: Sun care items receive prime merchandising space in stores. Spring cleaning supplies receive circular support. Allergy: Deals on allergy SKUs from key CPGs, sometimes under an overarching theme. In-store signage (particularly near pharmacy counters), circular features, and digital activity support. March Madness: Efforts typically position the chain as a destination for party favorites by uniting official NCAA sponsors for ExtraCare offers, though activity has been quieter in recent years. Circular features often plug the occasion. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Coachella/Music Festival Season: CVS elevates colorful and fun beauty items from brands like NYX with in-store and circular activity calling out Coachella. ____________________________________________________ MAY Memorial Day/Summer: A loose summer theme provides the backdrop for seasonal merchandising and ongoing promotions with specific vendors. Sun care items receive prime merchandising space in stores. Arthritis Awareness Month: Activates its partnership with the Arthritis Foundation to promote relevant products via circulars and in stores. Includes a cause component. Mother’s Day: Presents ExtraBucks and other offers on typical gift items (especially Hallmark cards) and holiday needs in emails and circular features. Graduation: Promotes gifts for the occasion. ____________________________________________________ JUNE Father’s Day: Similar to Mother's Day promotions; fragrances, grooming products and even some consumer electronics get the spotlight. ____________________________________________________ JULY Back To School: ExtraBucks and BOGO offers on school supplies, snacks, personal care and cleaning products, with the addition of custom P-O-P materials and some atypical merchandise like furniture. ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Back To School Summer ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER CVS Oral Health Month: Gets a jump start on October's designation of "National Dental Hygiene Month" with partner American Dental Association for an in-store and digital program educating shoppers and highlighting ADA-approved oral care items. Circular features and ExtraCare offers support. Halloween: Basic circular/display support for seasonal merchandise along with ExtraBucks offers on candy and other treats; Mars Inc.’s M&M’s and Hershey Co. typically play lead roles. Brands have provided the retailer with exclusive seasonal SKUs as well. Back To School ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Stand Up 2 Cancer: Solicits donations for the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Stand Up 2 Cancer initiative. Brand collaborators have included GlaxoSmithKline, MasterCard and Hallmark Cards. Halloween Cold & Flu ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Thanksgiving: Black Friday earns its own circular, with most deals available online all day on Thanksgiving; Cyber Week deals differ each day and are spotlighted in circulars. Holiday: Multi-channel campaign that in recent years has taken much of its efforts online. Activity includes social media influencers, vloggers and how-to videos. Brands position CVS as a one-stop shop for all holiday necessities. Purchase incentives support. Cold & Flu ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Holiday Cold & Flu
JANUARY New Year: Integrated, health-focused campaign receives support from a plethora of brands; vitamins and supplements take center stage. Super Bowl: “Game Day” campaign often gains the support of official National Football League sponsors (e.g., PepsiCo, Anheuser-Busch and Mars Inc.) as well as others. Valentine’s Day: Promotions focus on gifts (candy, cosmetics, fragrances) with special emphasis placed on greeting cards from Hallmark. Cold & Flu: Continues activity that began in August. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY Super Bowl: Continues activity that began in January. Valentine’s Day: Continues activity that began in January. Heart Health Month: Program brings brands together for themed endcaps. Retailer supports the American Heart Association. Cold & Flu: Continues activity that began in August. ____________________________________________________ MARCH March Madness: Using recurring “Game Day” theme, program leverages the official NCAA sponsorships of manufacturers (e.g., Coca-Cola, Hershey and Mondelez International) for a tie-in to the Division I men’s basketball tournament. Also partners with Unilever separately. Allergy Relief: “Allergy Relief” campaign launches as spring begins with support from most of the major category brands. Retailer has promised “buy two products, get third free.” Easter: Employs a P-O-P heavy campaign that typically boasts multiple promotional partners, including Mars Inc.’s Starburst and Hershey Co.’s Cadbury. Circular features support. Cold & Flu: Continues activity that began in August. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Red Nose Day: The exclusive retailer partner of Comic Relief’s charity enlists support from countless manufacturers for a massive campaign. Allergy Relief: Continues activity that began in March. Easter: Continues activity that began in March. Mother’s Day: Employs a consistent theme across multiple marketing vehicles leading up to the holiday. Circular features offer gifts to “make mom happy.” Spring Cleaning: Promotion has promised “buy two, get third free” on household cleaning products. ____________________________________________________ MAY Red Nose Day: Continues activity that began in April. Allergy Relief: Continues activity that began in March. Summer: Showcases essential products to be used in the summer such as sunscreen, grilling accessories, insect repellent, toys and snacks/beverages. Also offers Memorial Day deals. Mother’s Day: Continues activity that began in April. Graduation: Promotes gifts for occasion. ____________________________________________________ JUNE Summer: Continues activity that began in May. Skin care, cookouts and Fourth of July celebrations are a focus. Father’s Day: Similar to Mother’s Day effort but smaller in scale. Graduation: Continues activity that began in May. Allergy Relief: Continues activity that began in March. ____________________________________________________ JULY Back To School: Integrated campaign that typically launches the week after the Fourth of July. Focal point is partnership with Me to We that helps teachers get access to the tools they need. Promotes vaccines available. Summer: Continues activity that began in May. ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Back To School: Continues activity that began in June. Abundance of “smart savings” promoted in circulars and in stores. Cold & Flu: Eight-month season kicks off with focusing on flu shots. Labor Day: Party/cookout focus leading into end of summer holiday. Summer: Continues skin care activity that began in May. ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER Cold & Flu: Activity that began in August continues. Focus expands to cold & flu products. Football: Seasonal “Game Day” campaign gets support from multiple promotional partners, including alcoholic beverage manufacturers. Back To School: Seasonal activity wraps up early in month. Halloween: Activity kicks in the middle of month. ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Halloween: P-O-P-heavy campaign focusing on candy as well as decorations and party-hosting needs. Circular features support. Breast Cancer: Leverages October’s designation as “Breast Cancer Awareness Month” by activating in various ways. Cold & Flu: Continues activity that began in August. Retailer has used “get ready for cold & flu season” theme. ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Holiday: Executes a fully integrated campaign with various themes that typically includes an online holiday gift shop, gifts of the week and at times a toy drive. Diabetes Awareness Month: Retailer offers free in-store glucose testing and collects donations for the American Diabetes Association at checkout. Cold & Flu: Continues activity that began in August. ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Holiday: Continues activity that began in November. Circulars promote holiday gifts as well as for holiday entertaining. Cold & Flu: Continues activity that began in August. New Year: As Jan. 1 approaches, promotions focus on healthy activity and more.
JANUARY New Year: A traditional spotlight on healthy foods focuses on the Simple Truth private label. Storage: Circulars spotlight deals on storage solutions. Super Bowl: Packaged food and beverages for party hosting get spotlight via circulars and in stores. Manufacturers activating their NFL sponsorship as well as football-themed displays enjoy secondary merchandising space. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY Valentine's Day: Circular features and displays elevate alcoholic beverages, confectionery and flowers. ____________________________________________________ MARCH March Madness: NCAA sponsors and party needs get spotlight in stores and via circulars while kroger.com plugs party recipes. Allergy Season: Displays and circular activity spotlight OTC products from private-label and national brands. Easter: Displays and circular features spotlight confectionery, seasonal toys and other basket fillers, and prepared foods. St. Patrick's Day: Themed displays enjoy plenty of space in stores. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Cinco De Mayo: Dangles digital coupons on Hispanic packaged food and spotlights the deals via circular features. ____________________________________________________ MAY Summer/Grilling: Unites numerous CPGs for an omnichannel campaign including digital coupons, account-specific displays, recipes, and digital and social media activity. Mother's Day: Positions confectionery and personal care products as gift items. Graduation: Displays promote gift cards, flowers and party supplies. ____________________________________________________ JUNE Father's Day: Displays and circular activity spotlight gift items and grilling needs. ____________________________________________________ JULY Fourth of July: Patriotic-themed displays spotlight prepared foods and packaged SKUs. Back to School: Largely generic activity offers savings on standard supplies. ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Football/Tailgating: Football-themed displays from manufacturers such as NFL sponsors PepsiCo earn secondary merchandising space. ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER Fall Allergy: Displays group together OTC treatments from numerous brands. Pumpkin Season: Social media activity and display space spotlight pumpkin-flavored food and beverages. Halloween: Confectionery and other themed SKUs enjoy significant secondary display space. Day of the Dead: Spotlights festive recipes and Hispanic CPG SKUs on kroger.com and chain websites. ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Cold & Flu: Displays stock solutions from numerous brands. Holiday: Seasonal displays receive plenty of space in stores. ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Thanksgiving: Fresh and packaged food for entertaining get the spotlight in stores and circular features. Holiday: Digital and circular activity spotlight SKUs for party hosting and preparing holiday meals, as well as gift ideas. Stores host fundraisers and food and toy drives, with activity varying by region. ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Holiday
JANUARY Corporate/National New Year/Diabetes: Promotes eating healthy. In years past, chains offered free store tours with a professional to help plan a diet. Some chains run a “Tidy New Year” bulk-purchase incentive with Procter & Gamble with omnichannel support. Super Bowl: Focuses mainly on basket building, bakery goods, prepared foods, and offers bulk-purchase incentives. Jewel-Osco Hockey: Activates sponsorship of the NHL and the Chicago Blackhawks to run account-specific sweepstakes with manufacturers. Partners have included J.M. Smucker Co. and Procter & Gamble. Make Your Kid A Captain: Unites personal care CPG for a hockey-themed sweepstakes for kids. Nfl Playoffs: Runs a “Score Great Deals Playoffs” game awarding participants new prizes each week throughout the month. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY Corporate Monopoly: A long-running, multifaceted promotion that centers on a collect-and-win game and is supported by a volley of in-store P-O-P materials, circular features and digital marketing. Hockey: Chains activate sponsorships of local professional and youth league teams to stage sweepstakes; many also participate in Kraft Heinz Co.'s annual Hockeyville cause campaign. Valentine’s Day: Focuses on confectionery, floral and greeting cards. Jewel-Osco Black History Month: Hosts event spanning sampling tables, live entertainment and giveaways from black-led/black-owned brands at a Chicago/Chicagoland store. ____________________________________________________ MARCH Corporate Frozen Foods Month: Promotes frozen fare in circular features; has offered a coupon booklet with purchase of a freezer and run chain-specific sweepstakes and promotions. Easter/Passover: Focuses on confectionery; Kosher and unleavened foods receive attention as well. Lent: In-store signage and circular features highlight seafood products. St. Patrick's Day: In stores, spectaculars in liquor aisles and lobbies support. Circulars offer deals on cabbage, corned beef and alcohol products. Allergies: In-store displays and signage, email marketing, digital and circular support often leveraging the retailer’s “Live Healthy. Be You” platform. March Madness: CPGs/NCAA sponsors receive prime merchandising space in stores. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Corporate Spring: Heavy circular promotion for grilling needs as well as lawn and gardening tools. Earth Day: Circular features highlight natural, organic and earth-friendly food options as well as floral arrangements. Jewel-Osco Earth Month: Hosts an “Earth Month Extravaganza” event at multiple Chicagoland stores spotlighting sustainable brands and products, offering sampling stations, raffles, giveaways and other engaging activities. Circular features and a dedicated Big Book of Savings booklet highlight relevant products as well as floral arrangements. Classic Cakes & Classic Cars: A sweepstakes available to shoppers who purchase any participating 8-inch classic cake from the bakery department. In-store, digital and circular activity supports. Acme Kick Hunger: A food drive benefitted the Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger that launched in 2014. Stanchion signs invite shoppers to purchase a $10 pre-loaded grocery bag in stores. ____________________________________________________ MAY Corporate Mother’s Day: Circular, email and in-store support for typical holiday buys including gift cards and floral arrangements. Graduation: Promotion for bakery goods and prepared foods. Memorial Day/Summer: Category-specific promotions, often supported by exclusive programs from manufacturers. Make Sweet Memories: 10 Albertsons Cos. chains participate in Unilever’s annual summer-themed ice cream program with in-store, digital and circular support. Monopoly Jewel-Osco Stock Your Bullpen: A campaign activating its sponsorship of both the Chicago Cubs and the White Sox, centered around an instant-win game and bringing in CPG brand participants. Classic Cakes & Classic Cars ____________________________________________________ JUNE Corporate Summer/Summer Sale: Spectaculars, signage and other summer-themed P-O-P materials start trickling into stores toward the end of May. A national "Summer Sale" also takes place annually. Father’s Day: Activity mirrors that of Mother’s Day, and delivers purchase incentives on items like gift cards and grill fare. National Dairy Month: Circular features promote dairy; some chains run sweepstakes requiring purchase of qualifying products, often with a cause element. Grilling: Grilling essentials receive prime merchandising space in and outside stores. Make Sweet Memories Jewel-Osco Stock Your Bullpen ____________________________________________________ JULY Corporate Back To School: Circular activity spotlights supplies and grocery needs. Summer/Grilling Jewel-Osco Classic Cakes & Classic Cars ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Corporate Anniversary Sale: An annual companywide sale that unites CPGs and has in the past comprised a bulk-purchase incentive. Tailgating/Football: Most chains activate their respective NFL team sponsorships for multifaceted campaigns engaging brands and offering game-day savings. In-store, digital and circular activity supports. Fellow NFL sponsors take the lead. Shoppers who wear the chain’s local NFL team’s jersey/gear to the store on Sundays receive a discount off the total receipt. Cold & Flu: Eight-month season kicks off by focusing on flu shots. Make Sweet Memories Back To School Jewel-Osco Classic Cakes & Classic Cars Albertsons/Safeway/Vons Tailgating/Football: “Score Great Deals” sweepstakes. Consumers receive an entry code with $10 purchase of eligible products. ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER Corporate Stock Up Sale: Annual sale that unites multiple manufacturers for a bulk-purchase incentive and garners omnichannel support. Hunger Is: Annual fall campaign in which purchase of participating items through the month of September triggers donations to the Hunger Is program co-hosted by Feeding America. Shoppers can also make donations at checkout or donate bags of food. Halloween: Halloween HQ/Monster Manor spectaculars; focus on seasonal produce, confectionery and fall-themed beverages. Tailgating/Football Make Sweet Memories Cold & Flu Jewel-Osco Football/Tailgating: “Score Great Deals” sweepstakes running on a promotional website awards Chicago Bears-themed prizes. Shoppers enter via codes received with $10 purchases of eligible products. Hispanic Heritage Month: Hosts “Fiestas Patrias” events with sampling stations, live entertainment and giveaways at multiple Chicagoland stores. Albertsons/Safeway/Vons Football/Tailgating: “Score Great Deals” Acme Tailgating/Football: Activates its sponsorship of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles with “Swoop In & Win” and “Kickoff Kid” sweepstakes entered via purchase of eligible products (or "items of the week"). ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Corporate Halloween Cold & Flu Jewel-Osco Real Bears Fans Wear Pink: Joins with NFL’s Chicago Bears to promote Breast Cancer Awareness through in-store events with players, apparel sales and requests for donations at checkout. Tailgating/Football: “Score Great Deals” Albertsons/Safeway/Vons Tailgating/Football: “Score Great Deals” Acme Tailgating/Football: Swoop In To Win, Kickoff Kid sweepstakes ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Corporate Thanksgiving: Activity includes “Black Friday” sales, turkey price guarantee and matching, requests for donations to local food banks at checkout, various sweepstakes and holiday-themed in-store demos at most chains. Holiday: A digital and P-O-P program that brings branded displays to stores and supporting activity online; incorporates other manufacturer-specific activity. A slew of limited edition seasonal SKUs from Own Brand Signature Select hit stores. Cold & Flu Football/Tailgating Jewel-Osco Tailgating/Football: "Score Great Deals" Albertsons/Safeway/Vons Tailgating/Football: “Score Great Deals” Acme Tailgating/Football: Swoop In To Win, Kickoff Kid ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Corporate Holiday: Seasonal displays from national brands and private labels enjoy secondary placement. Football/Tailgating Jewel-Osco Tailgating/Football: "Score Great Deals" Albertsons/Safeway/Vons Tailgating/Football: “Score Great Deals” Acme Tailgating/Football: Swoop In To Win, Kickoff Kid
JANUARY Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover, Giant/Martin’s and Food Lion New Year: Spotlights its Nature's Promise private label and other better-for-you products including produce, pet and personal care items through circular activity, digital coupons and bulk-purchase incentives. Super Bowl: Football-themed digital and coupon activity as well as in-store displays, especially from NFL sponsors. Valentine’s Day: Seasonal confectionery and gift items enjoy plenty of secondary display space. Hannaford Super Bowl: Unites numerous CPG brands for a "Quarterback Savings" bulk-purchase incentive. NFL sponsor Danone stands out with a separate bulk-purchase deal. New Year: Circulars promote in-store dietitian services, healthy products and private labels. Valentine’s Day: Seasonal confectionery and gift items enjoy plenty of secondary display space. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover, Giant/Martin’s and Hannaford College Basketball: Themed displays and NCAA sponsors receive plenty of secondary merchandising space. Easter: Circulars and displays showcase confectionery, basket-fillers and decor. Passover also gets strong circular support and some in-store support. St. Patrick’s Day: Spotlights relevant products like Guinness beer and limited-edition SKUs with secondary merchandising space. Food Lion College Basketball: Promotes its CIAA sponsorship with digital and social media activity plus a hunger relief campaign. Spotlights tournament party recipes online. ____________________________________________________ MARCH Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover and Giant/Martin’s March Madness: Runs a bulk-purchase incentive with official sponsors. Themed displays earn significant space in stores. Frozen Food Month: Spotlights the category through a bulk-purchase incentive. St. Patrick's Day: Savory magazine articles provide festive recipes. Giant-Carlisle Major League Baseball: Activated its Philadelphia Phillies sponsorship in a big way in 2019 with purchase incentives on major brands and a slew of promotions, events, sweepstakes and game day discounts all season long. Food Lion Easter: Confectionery brands receive secondary display space while circular activity and custom signage in stores promotes basket-fillers and Easter essentials. Offers festive recipes online. March Madness: Partners with official tournament sponsors on bulk-purchase incentives and sweepstakes while also using the occasion to activate its Food Lion Feeds platform (see below) and incentivize purchases of private label brands. Food Lion Feeds: Activates its hunger relief cause platform and fundraiser in partnership with Feeding America that ties donations to purchases of store-brand bags of fruit. Hannaford Spring Cleaning: Offers coupons for cleaning supplies and unites major manufacturers for a bulk-purchase incentive. In-store displays and custom signage, plus circular and social media activity support. Easter/Passover: Holiday necessities receive prime placement in stores. National Nutrition Month: Offers coupons for health-focused brands, runs a themed sweepstakes, and uses circular activity to plug the Guiding Stars nutrition labeling program and services offered by the chain's dietitians. Frozen Food Month: Unites major category players for a bulk-purchase incentive, and promotes recipes online. March Madness: Circular features and displays promote party needs. Grilling: Kicks off the season early with circular activity. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover and Giant-Carlisle Spring: Seasonal products and themed displays enjoy plenty of space in stores. Major League Baseball: Displays from team sponsors bring the theme to stores. Chains activate official MLB team sponsorships with licensed merchandise and a slew of offers and sweepstakes as well as in-store and circular support. Earth Month: Circular features tout chains’ sustainability efforts and incentivize purchases of green brands. Food Lion Cinco de Mayo: Ingredients for Mexican dishes are merchandised on dedicated displays. AB InBev’s Corona and other relevant alcohol brands flaunt festive displays in stores. Hannaford Earth Month: Runs bulk-purchase incentives with organic and natural brands and spotlights the chain's sustainability efforts. Cinco de Mayo: Corona and ingredients for Mexican dishes are called out in stores and in Fresh magazine. ____________________________________________________ MAY Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover and Giant/Martin's Arthritis Awareness Month: Circular features offer incentives on OTC treatments from national brands. National Pet Month: Circulars promote pet SKUs and the availability of pet prescriptions at in-store pharmacies. Mother's Day: Displays and circulars spotlight greeting cards and gift ideas. Savory plugs Hallmark cards. Food Lion Mother's Day: Displays spotlight greeting cards and position cooking needs as gifts. Circular activity focuses on personal care products. Teacher Appreciation Day: Offers teachers a discount in stores and positions apples, prepared foods and flowers as gifts. Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive: Activates its Food Lion Feeds platform to sponsor the National Association of Letter Carriers and the U.S. Postal Service's annual campaign. Memorial Day: Offers loyalty cardholders who also present a military ID card a 10% purchase discount. Hannaford Summer/Grilling: Fresh magazine spotlights summer-themed recipes. ____________________________________________________ JUNE Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover and Giant/Martin's National Dairy Month: Circular features offer deals on the category. Savory delivers dairy-focused recipes. Summer/Grilling: Giant-Landover partners with PepsiCo to sponsor the annual National Capital Barbecue Battle, promoting the event with in-store displays. Savory delivers summer-themed recipes. Fourth of July: Patriotic displays spotlight prepared foods and packaged SKUs. Food Lion Summer/Grilling: Custom signage promotes summer cookout essentials. Fourth of July: Patriotic displays spotlight prepared foods and packaged SKUs. Hannaford National Dairy Month: Circular features promote dairy products from private labels and national brands. Summer/Grilling: Runs a "Grill Like a Chef" fundraising campaign. Fourth of July: Patriotic displays spotlight prepared foods and packaged SKUs. ____________________________________________________ JULY Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover, Giant/Martin’s, Hannaford and Food Lion Back To School: Activity gets an early start with themed displays from major manufacturers including Mondelez receiving secondary merchandising space at most chains. ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Stop & Shop and Giant/Martin's Back to School: Encourages loyalty cardholders to register in the A+ School Rewards program. School supplies and themed displays enjoy prime secondary merchandising space. Branded shelf talkers flood the aisles. Giant-Landover Childhood Cancer Awareness Month: Kicks off its annual fundraiser for pediatric cancer in late August (it runs through early October), selling $5 coupon books to raise money for the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and The Children's Cancer Foundation. Food Lion Back to School: Unites a dozen manufacturers for an instant-win game. Also runs a bulk-purchase incentive activating General Mills' Box Tops for Education program. Hannaford Back to School: Positions its Guiding Stars nutrition labeling system as a way to find healthy school lunch options through a bulk-purchase incentive. ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover, Giant/Martin’s and Hannaford Halloween: Themed displays earn significant secondary merchandising space, extending the holiday beyond confectionery and snacks to greeting cards and personal care products. Football/Tailgating: Party needs get plenty of merchandising space, with NFL sponsors taking the lead. National Family Meals Month: Ties in to the Food Marketing Institute Foundation's campaign with an omnichannel effort spotlighting its Guiding Stars labeling program, easy recipes and its nutritionist services. Giant-Landover Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Food Lion Football/Tailgating: A "Quarter Back" bulk-purchase incentive gives loyalty cardholders $1 off a future trip with purchase of four private label SKUs. CPG partners provide a variety of other themed incentives and sweepstakes. Apple Season: Ties Feeding America donations to purchases of private label fruit. Halloween: Themed confectionery products enjoy plenty of display space. Hannaford Hannaford Helps Schools: Purchases of four SKUs from a list of 1,500 trigger a small donation to the school of the shopper's choice. ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Stop & Shop, Giant-Landover and Giant/Martin’s Cold & Flu Season: Displays group together remedies from numerous brands. Gluten-Free Month: Circular features spotlight relevant products. Giant-Landover: Childhood Cancer Awareness Month Food Lion Fall: Runs a themed continuity program. Hope for the Warriors: Unites numerous brands for a cause campaign benefiting the veterans group. Hannaford Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Products from brands contributing to the cause enjoy secondary display space. Solicits donations for relevant local nonprofits in stores. Hannaford Helps Fight Hunger: Sells boxes of private label products to donate to food pantries. ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Stop & Shop Food for Friends: Fundraiser solicits donations for local hunger relief efforts. Displays prepared foods and seasonal private label products. Holiday: Seasonal displays earn plenty of merchandising space. Giant-Landover and Giant/Martin's Holiday: Seasonal displays earn plenty of merchandising space. Food Lion Holiday: Sells boxes of private label food to donate to Feeding America-affiliated food pantries and solicits cash donations at checkout. Displays spotlight seasonal products. Hannaford Cold & Flu Season: Offers discounts on OTC and personal care products. Holiday: Unites dozens of brands for a bulk-purchase incentive and runs a holiday recipe contest on Facebook. Stores solicit donations for The Salvation Army at checkout. Hannaford Helps Fight Hunger ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Stop & Shop and Giant-Carlisle Holiday Giant-Landover Holiday: “The Little Things are Giant” campaign spans TV, radio, social media, mobile, digital, in-store and out-of-home advertisements produced in both English and Spanish. Food Lion Holiday: A “12 Days of Savings” campaign for MVP members and a "Hollywood Holidays" program awards movie tickets for bulk purchases. Hannaford Hannaford Helps Fight Hunger
JANUARY Super Bowl: Partners with official sponsors PepsiCo and Mars Inc. for a sweepstakes and hosts themed tasting events. Special Olympics: Decades-old fundraising campaign with P&G. Frozen Rewards Club: Three-month campaign rewards shoppers who spend $30 on Conagra Brands frozen products with a $10 store gift card. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY Valentine’s Day: Confectionery and gifts enjoy secondary display space. Viva Italia: An annual multiweek program uses heavy circular and display activity to promote products used in Italian-inspired cooking. American Heart Month: Elevates heart-healthy foods and dietitian info in circulars. Displays in the pharmacy department dispense information on heart health and a booklet of coupons for relevant OTC products. Super Bowl Frozen Rewards Club ____________________________________________________ MARCH March Madness: Partners with official sponsors Coca-Cola Co. and Mondelez International's Nabisco for a sweepstakes. Tournament sponsor Unilever enjoys circular activity. Spring Cleaning Sale: Omnichannel campaign spotlights household cleaning products for major manufacturers. Baseball Season: Major League Baseball sponsor Church & Dwight gets circular attention. St. Patrick's Day: Spotlights Irish recipes through the Aprons Simple Meals program. Easter: Circulars and displays showcase confectionery, basket-fillers and decor. Seasonal confectionery SKUs enjoy secondary placement. Passover: Displays and circular features spotlight foods for the Jewish holiday. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Earth Day: Promotes sustainability efforts while encouraging the purchase of reusable bags and eco-friendly products. March for Babies: Annual campaign to benefit the March of Dimes nonprofit. Enlists manufacturers for coupon offers and donations. In 2019, Publix raised more than $5.1 million for the org. Allergy Season: Displays, signage and circulars spotlight allergy relief SKUs. Easter Passover ____________________________________________________ MAY National Pet Month: Offers deals on the category from private label and national brands through displays and signage, a dedicated coupon book and digital activity. Cinco de Mayo: Hosts a sampling event spotlighting Mexican fare and gives relevant products secondary display space. Grilling: Spotlight private label meat and grilling essentials. Mother’s Day: Digital activity offers recipes and positions perimeter department offerings as gift ideas. Summer: Displays spotlight seasonal produce. Also teams with Nestle to run a “Have Happy on Hand” summer program incentivizing frozen treat purchases from Nestle brands with a $5 gift card. Allergy Season ____________________________________________________ JUNE Berry Bash: Spotlights seasonal produce, and products that contain or can be served with berries with a dedicated circular. Father's Day: Delivers purchase incentives on men's grooming products. Produce For Kids: Biannual campaign in partnership with Feeding America, centered around better-for-you products and consumption of produce. Solicits donations. Storm Basics: An annual program for hurricane season emergency needs (batteries, flashlights) and non-perishables, with Conagra Brands as lead partner. Summer: Continues both efforts from May. Allergy Season ____________________________________________________ JULY Back to School: Uses a "Back to School Sale" theme to highlight discounts on key categories. Summer: Continues efforts from May. “Have Happy on Hand” ends. Allergy Season ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Football/Tailgating: Partners with major CPG manufacturers leveraging NFL team and league sponsorships including PepsiCo/Frito-Lay, Mars Inc. and Bud Light for a number of sweepstakes, themed tasting events and a large in-store presence. Also partners with Procter & Gamble for an annual "Tackle Everything" sweepstakes. Back to School: Sells reusable bags to gather donations for Tools for Back to School. A themed tasting event spotlights kids snacks. Summer Allergy Season ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER Flu Season: Offers store gift cards to shoppers who get vaccinated at in-store pharmacies. Displays spotlight OTC brands. Football/Tailgating Allergy Season ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Halloween: Confectionery brands enjoy secondary display space. Football/Tailgating Allergy Season ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Football/Tailgating. Holiday: Seasonal displays from national brands enjoy secondary placement. ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Football Holiday
JANUARY Super Bowl: Promotes party fare from major CPG manufacturers via circulars, in-store signage, and social media activity. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY Valentine's Day: Omnichannel activity spotlights giftable items. Tax Season: Offers bulk-purchase incentives to encourage shoppers to spend their refund money. ____________________________________________________ MARCH Easter: Digital activity, displays and circulars promote confectionery, baking needs, gift cards and seasonal products. Spring Cleaning: Digital coupons encourage purchases of relevant products from a set of major CPGs. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Autism Awareness Month: Stores solicit donations at checkout for Autism Speaks. Earth Day: Digital activity spotlights a variety of activities from visiting a park to gardening. ____________________________________________________ MAY Cinco De Mayo: Offers deals on products for Mexican cooking. Mother's Day: Digital and circular activity tout gift ideas. ____________________________________________________ JUNE Summer: Spotlights seasonal recipes as well as exclusive SKUs and incentives from various CPGs. Father's Day: Digital and circular activity plug gift ideas. Graduation: Circulars spotlight balloons, frames, cards and various other party needs. ____________________________________________________ JULY Back to School: Generic circular activity and displays offer deals on school supplies. ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Football/Tailgating: Leverages the sponsorships of major CPGs for promotions tied to the College Football Playoff series and the NFL season. ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER Halloween/Day of the Dead: Displays merchandise seasonal snacks and decorations. ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Holiday: Partners with major CPGs for themed incentives and exclusive SKUs. Halloween ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Holiday: Extends store hours and offers exclusive digital coupons as well as online-only discounts. ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Holiday
JANUARY Super Bowl: Official sponsors typically enjoy special attention within store, digital and circular activity. The retailer also promotes private-label party supplies. ____________________________________________________ FEBRUARY Valentine's Day: Circular, display and digital activity promote typical holiday gifts. ____________________________________________________ MARCH Tax Season: Offers coupons for bulk purchases as a way to “stretch your tax refund.” Spring Cleaning: Uses the Smart Coupons program to incentivize bulk purchase of category products, with manufacturers such as SC Johnson enjoying special attention. Easter: Confectionery and other inexpensive basket fillers are promoted with a seasonal web page that also offers craft ideas and recipes. March Madness: Ads on familydollar.com tout "tournament of savings" on party SKUs such as Coca-Cola Co. beverages. ____________________________________________________ APRIL Allergy Season: Displays from relevant CPGs enjoy secondary placement. Mother's Day: Greeting cards, personal care items, picture frames and other potential gifts receive secondary display space and are promoted with digital and social media activity. ____________________________________________________ MAY Summer/Grilling: Displays and circular activity spotlight grilling supplies, pool toys and party needs. Graduation: Circular activity spotlights items such as gift cards and mugs. Memorial Day: Stores merchandise red, white and blue decorations ahead of Memorial Day. Father’s Day: Circular features elevate SKUs such as hardware tools and greeting cards. ____________________________________________________ JUNE Summer/Grilling Father's Day ____________________________________________________ JULY Back to School: Omnichannel campaign spotlights school supplies, accessories and household product. Lunch-box-friendly packaged foods get spotlight in circulars. ____________________________________________________ AUGUST Back to School ____________________________________________________ SEPTEMBER Football/Tailgating: Offers deals on snacks and drinks from major manufacturers with an omnichannel campaign. Social media activity spotlights tailgating recipes. Halloween: Displays stock product from major confectionery brands along with other seasonal needs. ____________________________________________________ OCTOBER Halloween Holiday ____________________________________________________ NOVEMBER Holiday: Collects donations at checkout for the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. ____________________________________________________ DECEMBER Holiday
