Save A Lot Stops 'Acting Like a Grocery Store'

Save A Lot, which earlier this month announced plans to renovate and modernize all 1,000 of its units by 2024, launched a new campaign on July 29, “Like, A Lot A Lot,” that it said brings to life the fun and value-driven focus of the brand through an original, buzzworthy song and video.

The discount grocer enlisted film director Drew Kirsch, winner of the MTV VMA "Video of the Year" award for "You Need to Calm Down" by Taylor Swift, to direct and produce the video, which features hip-hop, rap and pop stylings; customers singing and dancing in the grocery aisles; and vocals by three up-and-coming singers and hip-hop artists: Tamara Bubble, Leon Evans and Sarai.

It can be screened on YouTube and in 30-second TV spots, as well as streamed on music streaming platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. The song has also been adapted into 15- and 6-second animated "adlets," featuring Save A Lot private brand products, that can be leveraged across a variety of platforms.

The new campaign, Save A Lot said, is geared toward broadening its audience reach and appeal while continuing to highlight the savings, fun and "yum" shoppers have come to expect from the grocer.

Save A Lot tapped Portland, Maine-based agency VIA to develop the multitiered marketing and branding campaign that also brings to life the "Lot Dot,” which is prominently featured in the discounter’s current logo, by giving it a personality in a variety of national print and digital advertisements.

"It all started when we took a closer look at the little red dot in our logo. Over the last year, our focus has been on our long-term growth and becoming a brand of choice for our customers, including providing them with an enhanced hometown shopping experience. This new campaign further builds on our current efforts of modernizing our stores and breaking out of the sea of sameness that's taken over the industry as of late," said Tim Schroder, SVP of marketing for Save A Lot, whose remodeled stores will feature “lighter and brighter” contemporary interiors, a new store logo and a design that shows off localized brand assortments, fresh food and its revamped private-label items.

"I am extremely proud of the campaign that our team created in partnership with VIA as we continue to redefine our brand, and I am looking forward to seeing the customer response—and dance moves—to our fun, catchy song and music video,” Schroder added in a release.

The two-minute song was written by Lauren Rodrigue at VIA. It was set and shot in a Save A Lot in St. Louis.

"There are many places to buy groceries—even gas stations and pharmacies—with 'low prices' and 'hot deals' not being anything new. The first thing we had to do was to stop acting like a grocery store," said Teddy Stoecklein, creative director for VIA. "The team at Save A Lot was incredible to work with, putting a lot of faith in the creative process and it shows. This new brand image we believe really captures the updated look and feel Save A Lot was looking for as part of its refresh. Our collaboration was kind of—magical."

Kirsch added, "Our goal was to make this video like nothing you've ever seen before from a grocery store brand—and I'm pretty sure we wound up creating a phenomenon. It's impossible not to get up and dance once you see this video—and no judgment if it's even in the aisle of your neighborhood Save A Lot.”