MERRILLVILLE, Ind. — IGA will begin marketing private-label products with a new package design early next year as part of an effort to reposition the line as a stronger, more attractive option for consumers, alliance executives said here at the IGA USA Rally.
The new design features the IGA white-on-red logo near the top of each package against a red background that says “Hometown Proud Since 1926.” The rest of the package is white, with a photo of each product and the name of the item in a contemporary font style.
In addition to the new design, the revitalized private-label program includes some reformulation, improved quality assurance and improved availability on close to 2,000 items.
The new design — which was unveiled at the rally here earlier this month — will replace a package design that is more than eight years old “and which does not represent a consistent image or look to the consumer,” David Bennett, senior vice president, procurement and private brands for IGA USA, told retailers gathered here.
“The existing design delivers different messages by category and item and makes inconsistent use of the IGA logo,” he pointed out.
Bennett said the redesign is aimed at increasing shelf presence, promoting brand recognition, and stimulating sales and margins.
IGA worked with CBX, a New York-based branding and design firm, to come up with a new design “that would better represent and support the IGA brand,” Bennett said.
In a separate presentation at the rally, Jim Walz, vice president of marketing, branding and business development for IGA USA, outlined how IGA intends to develop more consistency across all stores to strengthen its corporate brand identity.
“The IGA brand is not just an eye-catching logo, nor just a product name with high consumer awareness,” Walz explained. “It's a covenant with our customers.”
Fulfilling that covenant will require more focus on values and consistency, he said — “values already associated with the brand, including independence, caring, dedication, community involvement, respect for neighbors and trust, along with consistent behavior to implement those values.”
To determine how to develop more consistency, IGA surveyed all members to prioritize what was most important to them, then developed a tactical plan that would serve as a foundation for ongoing brand-building, Walz explained.
That foundation consists of four building blocks, he said. “The idea is that each of us possesses the values, and understanding the building blocks will enable each of us to build into our day-to-day decisions more elements of consistency in implementing them,” he explained.
The four blocks are:
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Image and identity, which involve the store exteriors and parking lots and the interior decor, fixtures and housekeeping, plus the image conveyed by employees. “We need to celebrate our independence and individuality and turn it to our advantage — a consistent commitment to meeting customer needs in an attractive, clean store,” Walz pointed out.
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Marketing and communications: defining the IGA corporate brand and telling that story to current and prospective customers “to make sure each knows our values and believes what we tell them,” Walz said.
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IGA private brands.
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Retail store standards: a set of operational guidelines, plus “the secret sauce” provided by IGA people “through their warm, friendly service,” Walz said.
