Situation
Baesler’s Market, Terre Haute’s oldest local food retailer, is located in a residential area on the city's east side, away from the busy and highly competitive south side retail hub. A highly successful marketing campaign has been running since shortly after the retailer opened its Poplar Street location almost five years ago. That store has proved to be so successful that Baesler’s will soon complete a 10,000-square-foot addition, which will provide new areas for dairy products, frozen foods and meats, a full-size pharmacy and four new grocery aisles.

Problem
Baesler’s Market’s addition was already in the works when the announcement was made that a new development is slated to bring a major super store to the east side of Terre Haute – about five minutes from Baesler’s – within the next year. Merchants on the east side are certain to feel the effects when the new super store opens.

Solution
Store owner Bob Baesler knew that the facilities addition and expansion of services would put the store in a solid position to compete against the coming Goliath. But to bolster his position, he decided it was time to roll out a new integrated marketing campaign. He asked his integrated marketing firm, MillerWhite, LLC, to create a new campaign based on a theme he suggested: “Life is short. Eat good food.”

“Our previous campaign was based on our slogan, ‘Fresh Foods Fast',” Baesler said. “That slogan helped establish our store as the convenient place to shop for the best food, the freshest food, and many unique and special items. This new campaign will build on the momentum established by the previous one.”

“This is the most integrated and most prominently placed campaign we’ve done for Baesler’s,” said Bill White of MillerWhite. “Our goal is to be proactive in dealing with the development coming to the east side. Baesler’s has a lot to offer, and we’re looking to solidify and grow the store’s clientele even as competition from the nation’s largest retailer is anticipated on the east side.”

Using the “Life is Short” theme line, the campaign’s colorful ads and billboards feature Baesler’s specialties like fresh produce and bakery items, the outstanding meat and deli selections, fresh sushi and many other items not found in local grocery chains.

Components of the campaign include outdoor billboards, which have proven successful for Baesler’s in the past; radio spots; cable television commercials; and two elements that are new for Baesler’s -– billboard television ads on the network stations and front-page newspaper ads.

Results
Even before the new campaign was rolled out, Bob Baesler could report that store sales are up 12% over 2004, and a full 25% from two years ago. With this kind of momentum, an expanded facility and a new marketing campaign, Baesler’s is ready to meet any competition the east side super store presents.