Albertsons gives voice to food in ‘Sincerely’ brand extension

Albertsons Cos. has branched its “Sincerely” health and wellness branding into food in a new omnichannel marketing campaign.

Called “Sincerely, Food,” the campaign will spotlight the importance of food in the daily moments and special occasions of customers, Albertsons said Wednesday. Plans call for the new branding platform to appear in digital properties, in-store signage, traditional media and social media across the Boise, Idaho-based food and drug retailer’s store banners and customer touchpoints.

“Sincerely, Food is one more way we’re connecting with our customers as we create more personal, engaging customer experiences that embody our values as a long-standing neighborhood grocer,” Jen Saenz, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer at Albertsons, said in a statement. “Based in our ‘Sincerely’ brand platform, the campaign showcases our commitment to know, nourish and care for our customers by delivering on our company’s purpose.”

In early February, Albertsons rolled out Sincerely Health, a digital health and wellness portal for customers. The science-backed platform connects consumers to education and services to help them make smarter decisions across elements of well-being, such as food and diet, exercise, sleep, medical care, medications and immunizations. The grocer made Sincerely Health accessible through the mobile apps and websites of 16 of its 24 supermarket banners at launch.

The Sincerely, Food campaign spans digital, social and traditional media, including in-store signage. / Photo courtesy of Albertsons

Sincerely, Food carries the same wellness message but focuses on bringing people together through food, according to Albertsons. Told from the perspective “of what food sees,” the campaign is aimed at raising awareness and highlighting Albertsons Cos.’ strengths in high-quality fresh produce, meats and seasonal ingredients, the company said. The marketing initiative also is designed to tighten emotional ties between customers and their local Albertsons Cos. store banner.

For example, a 30-second video spot for Safeway titled “Sincerely, Food” shows a variety of foods—including strawberries, steak, a store-made cake, seafood and an entree—voicing their thoughts on their importance to store associates, shoppers and customers at home. “Hey, it’s me, food. I’m so much more than just what we eat,” the voice-over says.

Another 30-second video for the Albertsons banner, titled “Sincerely, Convenience,” also personifies food but emphasizes convenient offerings such as pre-cut fruit, store-made fried chicken and baked goods, as well as services like mobile checkout and curbside pickup. “Hey, there. It’s me, food. Whenever you need me, I’m ready for you,” the voice-over says in the video.

Convenience also is a theme in one of the Sincerely, Food videos, which shows prepared foods such as fried chicken as a shopper time-saver. / Photo courtesy of Albertsons

According to Albertsons Cos. Chief Marketing Officer Sean Barrett, the Sincerely campaign brings customers a more holistic—yet still local—view of the retailer, which overall operates 2,270 retail food stores, 1,720 pharmacies and 402 fuel centers in 34 states and the District of Columbia. Its supermarket banners include Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci's Food Lovers Market.

“Each Albertsons Cos. banner has its own unique history and local identity. Sincerely is the common thread through all of these, and it allows us to recognize the rich heritage associated with every banner,” Barrett stated. “As a company, we’re dedicated to earning customers for life, and our brand platform now supports and celebrates this commitment.”

New research also indicates that more engaging forms of digital media can drive purchases. Inmar Intelligence’s “2023 Spring Trends Guide,” released Wednesday, found that 52% of 1,000 shoppers surveyed find grocery purchase inspiration on social media, nearly the same percentage as those saying in-store displays (54%) prompt purchases. Short-form video drives the most social media-driven purchases, at 39%, reported Inmar, a Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based provider of data-driven technology services for retailers and manufacturers, among others.