Giant Food Sprucing Up Its Brand Image
Giant Food has named Heart & Soul Marketing, LLC its strategic creative agency of record. With a deep history rooted in the DMV (DC, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia), Giant Food has turned to Heart & Soul to develop a fresh brand campaign focused on a shared sense of community that helps modernize its image, while maintaining its position as the leading local grocery chain in the metropolitan area.
The scope of work is expected to include creative concepting and campaign development for television, radio, out-of-home, seasonal and in-store. The new campaign, which is expected in early 2024, will continue to build Giant's vision of becoming the most trusted grocery retailer in the DMV, while showcasing how Giant nourishes its community through great food and strong human connections.
[Read more: Giant Food Takes Steps to Stop Theft, Avoid Closing Stores”]
“We are thrilled to partner with Heart & Soul Marketing, a disruptive agency known for their breakthrough creative solutions and compelling brand strategies," commented Dyani Hanrahan, VP of marketing for Landover, Md.-based Giant Food. "We have been proud to be a part of the community for over 87 years and their fresh perspective and commitment to connecting with consumers aligns with our vision to share the stories that make Giant Food so special to the 165 communities that we serve."
Headquartered in Phoenix, Heart & Soul will bring the overarching brand strategy and creative direction to life, while also supporting seasonal campaigns and Giant's growth drivers.
"Who would have imagined we could win an account over two thousand miles away? I think it proves that big enduring creative ideas have the power to connect when you do your homework on the target consumers and have the courage to offer solutions other agencies have not," said Brad Casper, CEO of Heart & Soul Marketing. "At Heart & Soul we are willing to challenge convention and reach beyond what is expected of brands and industries to really connect with consumers."
Giant Food will become a cornerstone client for the boutique agency, among other key accounts such as Sigma Foods, parent company of Bar-S and Fiorucci Foods and the Howard Hughes Corp. The new account is expected to increase the size of Heart & Soul by at least 20%.
Heart & Soul was selected through a nationwide RFP process spearheaded by the Mercer Island Group, a management consulting firm in Washington that has a long working history with Giant Food and its holding company, Ahold Delhaize.
Giant Food operates 165 supermarkets in Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the District of Columbia with approximately 20,000 associates. Included within its stores are 153 full-service pharmacies and 29 Starbucks locations. Parent company Ahold Delhaize USA is No. 10 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named the company one of its Retailers of the Century and its 10 Most Sustainable Grocers.
