Blogging-Grocers' Memo: Grocers That 'Blog,' 'Twitter,' 'Facebook' ... and More

Safeway 2.0: Safeway Stores, Inc. recently became the latest major (as in third-largest U.S. supermarket chain) grocery chain to add a Blog to its Website, Safeway.com.

Safeway Stores bills its relatively new Blog as "The Official Safeway Blog." The Safeway Web site-based Blog is written by Kate, who is a full-time Safeway employee. Below is how Kate describes the Safeway Blog and herself:

About the Blog
Welcome to the official Safeway blog. What's this blog all about? In a nutshell, it's about family, food, value and fun. Of course, what makes this blog really exciting is YOU — so join the conversation!

About the Author:
Hi, my name is Kate. I am mom to three wonderful daughters Gabriella, Madeleine, and Mae and wife to a great guy, Max. I work full time at Safeway and a large part of my job is getting to hear from a lot of women out there about everything that's important to them. Welcome to my blog.

Safeway Stores, Inc. added Kate's Blog when it did a redesign of its Safeway.com Web site in the late fall of last year.

In the Blog, Kate writes about a wide variety of topics: nutrition, meal ideas, local foods, natural and organic products, what's happening in the stores, promotions, and the like. She also encourages readers to comment on the posts.

For example, below is Kate's post from today, March 4, 2009:

Local Mandarins
03-04-2009 08:10 AM
By Kate

My favorite fruit of winter is the mandarins, we go through a five pound bag a week! Super sweet, easy to peel, and the girls love them. The brand we have in our store is from California, which I appreciate as I know they didn't travel huge distances to get to my store which means they’re always fresh (haven’t had a “dried out” one yet) and taste great! We try and support our local businesses in whatever we do –the local “pizza place”, the barber – vs. the chains. We feel it’s particularly important now as we’ve seen so many businesses close on our “main street”. What do you buy that’s local?

[View the Safeway Web site Blog here.]

Safeway Stores, Inc. isn't using the Twitter micro-blogging, social networking site as of yet, something grocery chains like Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, Tesco's Fresh & Easy, Oregon's New Season's Market and a number of others have started to do. Are you listening Kate? We think it would be a great tie-in with her Blog.

The New Seasons Market Blog - and Peanut Butter: Speaking of Portland, Oregon-based New Seasons Market, the nine-store natural foods chain also is a "Blogging-Grocer." And the independent natural grocery chain recently used its Blog to update consumers and customers on the peanut product recall, which appears to be far from close to being over.

The February 19 Blog post is titled: "What's the Story With Our Bulk Peanut Butter Recall?"

In the post, New Seasons' president Lisa Sedlar says the natural grocer has thus far removed over 135 different FDA-recalled peanut-related products from store shelves. She says it's been the most massive product recall she has experienced in her 20-plus years in the natural products industry.

[You can read her post on the peanut product recall and issue in the New Season's Market Blog here.]

New Seasons Market also has a feed on the popular social networking site Twitter. You can view it here. Below are New Seasons' two most recent "Tweets" (Twitter talk for posts) on its Twitter feed:

@rebeccashapiro Of course. Plenty of GF cereals to munch an along with alternative milks like hemp & hazelnut.about 5 hours ago from TweetDeck in reply to rebeccashapiro
Free cereal & milk tasting this weekend.

Cereal: It's the budget crunch that goes great with milk! http://budurl.com/freecerealabout 6 hours ago from TweetDeck.

[Read about another way New Seasons Market has used its Blog: December 7, 2008: Retail Memo: New Seasons Market CEO Brian Rohter Speaks Out Again Today on the Whole Foods Market, Inc. Subpoena of His Company's Data.]

New Seasons' also uses Facebook. There's a link to its Facebook site on the Blog.

The "Whole Leader" of the "Blogging-Grocer" Pack in the U.S.: Whole Foods Market, Inc. is the pioneer in the food retailing industry in using Blogs as a part of the its social networking communications and marketing outreach strategy.

The first Blog on the Whole Foods Market Web site was (and is) "The CEO's Blog, written and published by CEO John Mackey. He started the Blog in 2005. CEO Mackey hasn't been posting much on his Blog of late though. His last post was in early November, 2008.

CEO Mackey also no longer posts anything on his "The CEO's Blog" about the FTC. v. Whole Foods Market, Inc. ongoing antitrust case. He stopped posting about the legal case last year after just one post (See the May 21, 2008 post here) about his return to Blogging. He did so so as to not interfere with the ongoing litigation.

Last year Whole Foods kicked-up its Blogging activity a few notches when it redesigned its Web site and added its very active "Whole Story" Blog. The natural grocer uses the Blog regularly, posting culinary suggestions and recipes, items about new products at Whole Foods, nutrition information, stories on sustainability, local foods and other similar issues, and a "Whole Lot More."

Whole Foods also has been using the Blog to inform consumers about the FDA peanut product recall, including listing all of the items its pulled from its shelves in Blog posts.

Whole Foods also includes food-related videos and podcasts on its Web site in conjunction with its "Whole Story" Blog.

Additionally, Whole Foods now has a series of interactive forums on its Web site, in which consumers can discuss food-related topics and issues with each other, as well as with Whole Foods Market's Bloggers.

Lastly, Whole Foods ties its Web site Blogging in with three social networking sites: Twitter, Facebook and Flikr (for photographs). The links to each are here: Whole Foods Market photos on Flickr, Whole Foods Market on Facebook, Whole Foods Market updates on Twitter.

A number of Whole Foods regional divisions, such as Los Angeles and Columbus, Ohio, also have Twitter sites of there own, which offer a local angle.

Whole Foods Market is taking Blogging and the use of social networking sites very seriously. In fact, its the only grocery chain of any format we are aware of that currently has a senior staff member, Paige Brady, who's full-time job is social networking. She's Whole Foods' "Blogger-in-Chief."

At this point in time, based on our research, Whole Foods is the top "Blogging-Grocer" in the U.S.

[Suggested Reading: June 7, 2008: Retail Memo: Whole Foods Market, Inc. Launches New and Improved Company Blog; Leadership 2.0 and Increased Transparency on the Move in Food Retailing ... May 22, 2008: Retail Memo: Whole Foods Market CEO John Mackey is 'Back to Blogging'; As Well as Being 'Back in Town.' ... May 25, 2008: nday, May 25, 2008 Retail Memo: More On John Mackey's Return to Blogging...United Kingdom's Waitrose Chief Exec Mark Price Goes His Own Way in His 'The Grocer's Blog'.]

The UK's "Grocery-Blogger-in-Chief": The May 25, 2008 post linked above mentions Mark Price, the CEO (official title: managing director) of the upscale Waitrose supermarket chain in the United Kingdom. If by our own account Whole Foods Market is the leading "Blogging- Grocer" in the U.S., Waitrose gets that honor in the UK.

In addition to Waitrose chief Mark Price's Blog, there's also a Blog by the grocery chain's nutritionist, and another by a local British hog farmer who supplies premium pork to Waitrose.

We really like the personal touch Waitrose uses in its Blogging. It creates interest in the personalities behind the grocery chain.

[You can check out the latest Blog posts from the Waitrose folks here.]

[Three past stories from NSFM about the Waitrose "Blogging-Grocers": Retail Memo: Waitrose's 'Chubby Grocer' Mark Price 'Weighs-In' on His Rival; Marks & Spencer CEO and 'The King of Pants' Sir Stuart Rose... Leadership 2.0 Memo: More Food and Grocery Industry Leaders Need to Adopt Digital, Interactive Communications Strategies in This Digital Age... Retail Memo: More On John Mackey's Return to Blogging...United Kingdom's Waitrose Chief Exec Mark Price Goes His Own Way in His 'The Grocer's Blog'.]

A Very Independent "Blogging-Grocer": Jim Hiller, the owner and CEO of Michigan's eight-store Hiller's Markets, goes his own way in his grocer's Blog, taking positions and offering his opinions in the Blog on a variety of issues.

His chief issue of late has been urging folks to buy American automobiles, which shouldn't be a surprise since Hiller's stores are located in the Detroit, Michigan region, home to America's struggling "Big Three" automobile companies.

But Hiller also writes about a wide-variety of other issues in his Blog -- like oysters -- which he wrote about in a post on February 16.

But today's post in his Blog, "Jim's Blog: A Message From the Helm," on the Hiller's Market Website is about cars. It's titled: "A New Ride," and is well worth reading. [Click here to read the post.]

We like that independent grocer Jim Hiller shows who he is in his Blog. After all, one of the keys to the success of independent grocers in the U.S. is showing a personality. Jim Hiller does that in spades, as does Hiller's Market in its merchandising and operations.

[Suggested Reading: December 23, 2008: Independent Grocer Memo: Eight-Store Michigan USA Independent Hiller's Markets Demonstrates Why Independents Survive and Thrive in the U.S.]

[Blogging-Grocers Memo is a regular feature of Natural~Specialty Foods Memo (NSFM). If you spot a grocer Blogging about something of interest (or even not of interest), feel free to send us a note and a link at: nsfoodsmemo@yahoo.com. Comments on grocers and Blogging are welcome on this post. Just click the "comments" link below and offer your opinion.]

[Follow Natural~Specialty Foods Memo (NSFM) around on Twitter at: www.twitter.com/nsfoodsmemo]

Marketing Memo: PepsiCo Takes A Page From President Obama's Successful Campaign For Change With its 'Refresh America' Multi-Media Marketing Campaign

Pepsi's consumer-interactive banner ad above is being featured on Web sites like Yahoo Music and Google.com's Content Network. When users click on the banner it takes then to YouTube, where they can then upload a video telling President Barack Obama what they think needs to be changed (and not changed) in America. The banner ad is part of Pepsi's "Refresh Everything" multi-media advertising campaign, which features a social media focus. The "Refresh Everything" campaign looks a whole lot like the new President's winning Presidential campaign.

Special Report: President Obama & the U.S. food industry

If you've been watching the television coverage of the U.S. Presidential Inauguration celebration of over the last few days, including today's swearing-in and related festivities for America's new 44th President, Barack Obama, you may have noticed the series of commercials running on many of the television channels from beverage and food giant PepsiCo. The ads look very much like, and use themes and words -- such as "hope" and "change" -- very similar to those the new President used throughout his successful campaign for the nation's highest office. Pepsi has even temporarily changed its iconic logo in the TV commercials to look very similar to the logo President Obama used on his signs and elsewhere throughout his nearly two-year campaign for President of the United States of America. Brand Obama equals brand Pepsi appears to be the message.

The Obama campaign-like advertising and marketing campaign being conducted by PepsiCo, the U.S.-based global food and beverage company that in addition to its huge soda pop and snack foods franchises also is a major player in the natural food and beverage segments, is specifically designed to tap into the new spirit in America based on the themes of hope and change the new President has inspired and continued to do so in his inauguration speech to America and the world. [You can view PepsiCo's brand portfolio here.]

Pepsi calls it its "Refresh Everything" campaign. It's key target audience with the campaign is the "Millennial" generation, the very same segment of young Americans who came out by the millions and donated money to, worked for, and voted for President Barack Obama.

As a part of its integrated "Refresh Everything" campaign. Change. Refresh. Renew. We get it. The campaign, which without a doubt is built around the election of the new President, includes an innovative social media effort in which Pepsi is making use of an application that lets users upload their own videos directly through an ad banner posted on various Web sites.

Pepsi calls the social media feature "Dear Mr. President." Its focus is to encourage its Millennial segment target audience to upload videos expressing their thoughts to today's incoming president on what should and shouldn't be changed about the country. In other words Pepsi is taking a page right out of the Obama Presidential campaign's Web-based effort in which throughout the campaign it used social media to ask voters that very same question. Obama campaign staffers then replied to voters in an interactive manner about the ideas they offered for America via the campaign Web site.

[Take a look at the new Whitehouse.gov Website, the site for the President of the United States of America. At noon today, at the very same time Barack Obama was sworn-in as President, the Web site was changed (dramatically) from that of the George W. Bush Administration to the Obama Administration. The site looks much different than the Bush site. In fact, the Obama Administration (and U.S. government) Presidential Web site looks very similar to the Obama Presidential campaign site, and it includes a couple interactive and social media-type functions, with more to come. If the Obama Administration can execute its policies like the team did the Web site change today -- it was changed literally seconds after the new President was inaugurated this afternoon -- the U.S. could be in for some real change in how the White House works.]

Pepsi first posted the ad banner for its "Dear Mr. President" social media/marketing campaign on Yahoo Music.com and the Google.com Content Network on Jan. 14, just a week ago. The big push has been over the last three days. The banners remain up until tomorrow. However, the "Refresh Everything" campaign and Web site continues on.

When the ad banner is clicked it takes the user directly into Pepsi's "Refresh Everything" campaign area on YouTube.com, where a "Dear Mr. President" video can be uploaded in the same way all YouTube videos are posted by users. Those users without Webcams can submit a text message instead.

The social media/ad banner campaign was created for Pepsi by the R/GA marketing agency. R/GA executive vice president and chief marketing services officer Dawn Winchester says, as far as she is aware, "this is the first time an ad banner has recorded video in this manner."

The innovative social marketing application fits the digital behavioral habits Pepsi's Millenial target audience perfectly, as well as many other consumers like those of us who are a bit older but still are social media savvy, in our analysis. We think PepsiCo is on to something very innovative and hot, both with the overall "Refresh Everything" campaign in general, but specifically with the "Dear Mr. President" social media feature using YouTube.

Natural~Specialty Foods Memo (NSFM) talked this week to a member of the Obama transition communications team who told us the President's staff is aware of the PepsiCo "Refresh Everything" campaign and the "Dear Mr. President" YouTube feature and will be taking a look at the videos posted by the users, who just happen to be voters as well.

Ms. Winchester says that while YouTube is the hub of the overall digital and social marketing campaign, consumer interaction with the Pepsi brand also is being promoted through the "Refresh Everything" campaign site, a mobile site and other social media sites. For example, she says "Refresh Everything" launched only a couple weeks ago on Facebook and already has more than 170,000 fans.

In our analysis, from a marketing standpoint Pepsi's tie-in with the themes of the victorious Obama campaign and its interactive rather than hard-sell design of the campaign makes it a winner.

Additionally, Pepsi has sponsored a number of activities around the inauguration of President Obama, including being a lead sponsor of the pre-inaugural concert and celebration at the Lincoln Memorial which honored Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on his birthday, as well as celebrated the election of America's 44th and first black President. Pepsi's sponsorship of these various activities includes substantial donations to charitable organizations.

Coke better watch out. After all, change is in the air.

Marketing Memo: 60% of Consumers Interact With Companies On Social Media Sites; Natural~Specialty Foods Companies Not Using Social Media Missing Out

Nearly 60% of U.S. consumers say they interact with companies on a social media Web site, and one in four interact more than once per week, according to the results of the 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study which were just released.

The survey finds that 93% of Americans believe a company should have a presence in social media, while 85% believe a company should not only be present, but should also interact with its consumers via social media.

56% of American consumers feel both a stronger connection with, and better served by, companies when they can interact with them in a social media environment.

Mike Hollywood, director of new media for Cone, says about the results of the survey: "Social media... it isn't an intrusion into their lives, but rather a welcome channel for discussion."

Here is a sampling of what American consumers surveyed said when asked about specific types of social media interactions they said they preferred:

>43% say that companies should use social networks to help solve my problems.

>41% want companies to solicit feedback on their products and services.

>37% feel that companies should develop new ways for consumers to interact with their brand.

>33% of men and 17% of women interact frequently (one or more times per week) with companies via social media.

"The ease and efficiency of online conversation is likely a draw for men who historically do not seek out the same level of interaction with companies as women," says Hollywood.

Additionally, 33% of younger, hard-to-reach consumers (ages 18-34), believe companies should actively market to them via social networks, and the same is true of the wealthiest households (household income of $75,000+). Two-thirds of the wealthiest households and the largest households (3 or more members) feel stronger connections to brands they interact with online.

Additional, separate research shows similar findings.

Generation Y (those born after 1979) online buyers are more immersed in online and mobile activities than any other generation, according to 2008 research from shopping comparison site PriceGrabber. Some 85% of Gen Y respondents said they participated in social networking, and 57% reported involvement with blogs in a recent survey conducted by the online site.

The 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study was an online survey conducted September 11-12, 2008 by Opinion Research Corporation among 1,092 adults comprising 525 men and 567 women 18 years of age and older. The margin of error associated with a sample of this size is ± 3%. Cone is a strategic marketing and branding consulting firm based in Boston, Mass. USA.

The social media opportunity

A number of food and grocery retailers such as Wal-Mart, Inc., Whole Foods Market, Inc., (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter.com) Trader Joe's (Twitter.com), 7-Eleven (Twitter.com), Tesco's Fresh & Easy (Twitter.com) are using various social media sites to promote their stores, interact with consumers and offer various information such as recipes, tips from buyers and related information.

Others, including some of the above, also are using Blogs on their own web sites as social networking and marketing forums as well. Whole Foods has a series of such Blogs at http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/, and Wal-Mart has its "Buyers' Blog" at http://www.walmart.com/, for example.

Numerous food and grocery manufacturers and suppliers also are using social media sites to market their products. and interact with consumers.

But Far too few natural and specialty foods manufacturers and marketers are doing so however. This is a missed opportunity for category companies because social marketing fits well with natural and specialty foods companies which often are smaller, entrepreneurial businesses that have great stories to tell.

Social media sites like Myspace, Facebook, Twitter and others are great forums for story telling and networking with customers and potential customers. Natural and specialty foods companies often have great stories to tell because of their entrepreneurial origins or other aspects of what the company does. Social media fits all size companies though, from the one-person shop to the global mega-corporation.

Using social marketing sites like those above also is low cost. It costs nothing to use the sites generally. All that's needed is an employee -- hopefully one skilled in social marketing or willing to experiment and learn -- to maintain the site, post material and network with consumers.

The best practice if possible is to involve the entire company -- from the president to the marketing department to the warehouse staff -- in the site. The more social and interactive across the board a social media site is the more interesting it is to consumers in most cases.

Of course care needs to be taken regarding the content a company places on its social media sites since like in all marketing, company and brand reputation is at stake.

Over marketing is a good way to kill a social media site as well. What's needed is a blend of marketing and brand information along with lots of other information -- stories about the company and its employees, involvement of the company in charities, recipes, related news and the like.

Interactivity also is key -- and not just between the company and users but also between the various social media site users themselves. encouraging this can really spread word of mouth about a natural or specialty foods company and the products it produces and markets.

We believe natural and specialty foods companies not using at least one social media site such as MySpace, Facebook, Twitter and a few others are missing the 21rst Century marketing boat. The opportunities to connect with current customers, consumers, buyers of your products and potential buyers of your products -- and to link those people together around your brand --exist at present using these social media sites in ways never before imagined at marketing costs never before possible.

Natural~Specialty Foods Memo has a site on Twitter.com in fact. Just go to http://www.twitter.com/. Type in nsfoodsmemo in the search box, and you will be taken to our Twitter site or page.

If you want to view Whole Foods', Trader Joe's, 7-Eleven's or Fresh & Easy's sites on Twitter just type those respective names in the search box as well. You can also do a global search using say "food retailers" or "supermarkets." The same is the case with "natural foods companies" or "Specialty foods companies" and the like to see if any are using Twitter.com.

Meanwhile, we suggest those in the natural and specialty foods industry -- retailers, manufacturers/marketers, distributors, brokers and others -- who currently aren't using one or more social networking and marketing sites do so soon. It's an opportunity you can't afford to miss out on in our analysis and opinion.