Meijer’s Instagram Captures Shorty Award

Meijer’s social media and creative teams won their first national honor with a Shorty Award, which recognizes the best and most influential content creators across digital platforms and social media.

The Grand Rapids, Mich.-based retailer, which operates 240 supercenters and grocery stores throughout Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin, picked up its Shorty at a ceremony in New York earlier this month after being nominated alongside popular brands such as Hyundai, Goody and iHeartRadio.

Meijer took home the Audience Honor in the Best Overall Instagram Presence category via a public vote for its entry that it said “showcases its Instagram account as a place to be playful with images and copy to inspire customers.”

For its winning entry, Meijer submitted posts for Valentine’s Day, back to school, beauty and fresh produce. The regional retailer competed against 22 nominees in the Best Overall Instagram Presence category, and was named among five finalists that included The Daily Show and NFL Throwback on Instagram. The #GoPro community won gold.

“Our social media and creative teams continue to utilize Instagram to leverage their creativity in a way that engages and inspires our customers,” Meijer VP of Marketing Michael Ross said in a statement. “This national recognition is a testament to their talent, collaboration and hard work—and it’s very well-deserved.”

Meijer’s social media team revamped its Instagram account in November 2017 and has grown its overall number of followers by 46% and engagement by 28% since.

In addition to Meijer, other brands in the grocery space that took home a Shorty included The Hershey Co., Kraft Heinz’s Mayochup and Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats.