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FUELLING OCCASION-BASED MARKETING With changes in the seasons, it’s important to always ensure the consumer remains at the forefront when considering marketing plans and strategies. By New Sunrise National Merchandise Manager Joseph Alessi. Just as we unpack our winter jackets and doonas and store away the summer boogie boards and beach umbrellas, as retailers we must shift our offers, displays and communications to our consumers to remain relevant and driven by both demand and desire. consumption occasions. An example of this are promotional bundles featuring carbonated drinks, ice cream, hot food, sports drinks, water and snacks at the convenience of a customer’s choice and need state. And it’s not just a need state, but also a mood state. Mood marketing: unlocking occasions In Q3 2020, New Sunrise was proud to introduce Sunny, a local kookaburra mascot, which now features on in- store branding, communications and social media. Sunny is most active in the morning, heralding the dawn of a new sunrise with his infectious laugh. While Sunny is a hard worker as he looks after his family, he can also be a bit cheeky, and is known to pinch a sausage or two from a barbecue. The introduction of Sunny into the New Sunrise marketing platform is a conscious shift in transactional ‘product and price’ marketing, to an experience- led and occasion-based strategy. Over Easter, Sunny will be seen in New Sunrise ‘Enjoy Local’ stores sporting bunny ears as he welcomes the season. Easter is a critical selling occasion on the convenience retail calendar, with increased travelling occasions, road trips, camping, and family and friends gatherings. But the market can fatigue slightly post-April, and to remedy and encourage sales during this time, New Sunrise will bring back the popular ‘Enjoy Local Shop & Win’ campaign. As part of this campaign, New Sunrise will reward customers by giving away $1000 each day to a lucky customer, continuing for 28 days. The promotion will be featured above the line with a massive national TV advertising and social media campaign and through the line with an exciting in-store activation delivered to stores. This campaign achieved a 27 per cent uplift in sales last year, with expectations for an even better result considering diminishing Covid restrictions. From c-store to eat more With the reduction in temperatures in autumn come the increase in appetites as consumers see comfort in hot food. New Sunrise is widely known in the industry for its food program consisting of Eat Local (grab and go), Good Food Fast (roadhouse) and Jill and Jack Daily (bakery and cafe style offer). Each of these programs talks to a different style of retailing offer and can be customised based on retail location and demographic. We feed our stomachs more often than we feed our cars, and a strong food (and coffee) offer can increase the frequency of visitation of customers to stores, as well as increase the average basket size. New Sunrise reflects the food offers in the Good Food Fast program in line with the seasonal conditions, with customers preferring a lighter/healthier summer menu compared with a warmer and heartier winter choice. IN SEASON – AUTUMN MARKETING New Sunrise National Merchandise Manager Joseph Alessi. Choice a key driver in promotional penetration Outside fuel, beverages are a key reason for consumers to visit convenience stores. But not all drinks missions are created equal. With temperatures dropping, so do our consumers’ thirst levels – and the reason for buying a beverage may shift from hydration to energy, or a treat, or warm comfort, or as a meal accompaniment. In a category dominated by ‘two-for’ offers, not all shopper missions are ‘for me, for now’ – with an ever-growing need for ‘for now and for later’ and also (and growing) ‘for home’ occasions. Underpinning the New Sunrise marketing platform are unwavering category drivers that unlock each of these occasions, giving consumers greater value through choice. The marketing program is known for its ‘Your Choice’ cross category promotions, offering consumers choice across multiple categories – unlocking both the immediate and post- About New Sunrise New Sunrise is Australia’s fastest growing independent retailer with double-digit store growth and sales trends outpacing the measured convenience market. Now with more than 1000 retail members, the group prides itself on the strong marketing benefits of the Enjoy Local platform, promoting the uniqueness of each member’s offer within the consistency of the execution of leading promotional offers. MAR/APR, 2021 CONVENIENCE WORLD 25