Novemer 17, 2023
Fueling a Successful Private Label Strategy with DFS Anthem UX®
In recent years, convenience stores have recognized the importance of offering private label products to differentiate themselves from competitors and boost profitability. On the consumer side, private label food brands have become increasingly popular as affordable options that still offer quality and value. The Hartman Group, a consumer research firm, found that 91% of consumers agree a good experience with private label products makes them trust a store more, with 74% saying they shop at a store specifically because of the private label brands.
Many successful c-store retailers have expanded to include private label fuel brands, yet there are opportunities in the forecourt and beyond fuel itself to build a successful private label strategy with multimedia screens built into the DFS Anthem UX® platform on the Wayne Ovation® fuel dispensers. Here are a few key multimedia tactics for captivating customers, enhancing brand awareness and driving private label sales.
Grab Attention with Visual Content on the Dispenser
Multimedia fuel dispensers present a unique and captive marketing opportunity, with a 1-to-1 focused audience in customers fueling their vehicles. Displaying engaging visual content related to private label products enables c-stores to grab customers’ attention during this otherwise idle moment.
In marketing, this attention-grabbing opportunity is called Zero Moment of Truth (ZMOT), and it’s the first of four key points in the consumer journey that influence a purchase and affect loyalty. The ZMOT happens when shoppers recognize a need or want, then gather information to fulfill it. A well-crafted video advertisement showcasing the quality, value and uniqueness of private label offerings can pique curiosity during the ZMOT and drive customers to purchase in the store.
Multimedia dispensers also allow marketers to drive brand awareness through the Rule of Seven, which states it takes an average of seven interactions with a brand before a customer acts. By running an ad at the dispenser, retailers put their messaging in front of high-frequency fuel customers multiple times and achieve the Rule of Seven more efficiently.
Highlight Private Label Benefits with Media
C-stores must effectively communicate the benefits and differentiators of their private label products to entice the customer to purchase. For example, one promotional strategy enabled with the Anthem UX® platform comes through dual-zone media – allowing stores to show national offerings on the upper zone and private label brand promotions on the lower zone. Through a dual-zone media comparison, stores can emphasize positive differentiators in price, size, quality and other features between private label offerings and major national brands. Advertising a private label product alongside a national counterpart can elevate private label benefits, building awareness, trust and loyalty over time.
Custom content on dispenser screens can also be a tool for educating and informing customers on quality sourcing and production processes behind private label offerings, which further build credibility and trust among those who may be hesitant to try private label items. Content highlighting nutritional information, product origins or sustainable practices positions private label products as reliable and conscientious choices, enhancing their appeal.
Leverage Cross-Promotion and Upselling to Build Your Brand
Advanced fuel dispenser screens offer an excellent opportunity for cross-promoting and upselling private label products. By integrating offers on video screens, convenience stores can encourage customers to consider complementary items within their private label range.
Dayparting, a common screen advertising strategy, entails targeting audiences with ads at specific times of day based on trending demands and behaviors. For example, offering up a private label coffee option with breakfast ads could target morning commuters, whereas chip add-on offers could aim for afternoon snackers, both maximizing campaign performance. Such a strategy helps increase the visibility and desirability of private label products while simultaneously boosting overall store sales.
A study by Cadent Consulting Group found that 54% of millennials say the availability of a store brand influences their choice of retailer. Designing video advertisements and incentives that appeal to this and other demographic audiences can help secure a strong consumer base for private label product lines. Custom content on the Anthem UX® platform can further be used to deploy targeted private label campaigns and loyalty offers for specific demographic groups.
Building a Brand-Differentiating Private Label Strategy
In the competitive landscape of convenience stores, a successful private label strategy can be a game changer. Leveraging the multimedia digital screens on the Anthem UX® platform presents a unique forecourt opportunity to engage customers and drive in-store sales of store brand products. Deployment of at-dispenser content designed for driving awareness, highlighting benefits and differentiators, and promoting cross and upsell campaigns can help c-stores build a thriving private label strategy that sets them apart from the competition.
Useful Links
The Hartman Group report entitled “Brand Ambition: Food and Beverage Private Brands & Beyond.” https://www.hartman-group.com/webinars/2112427415/path-to-purchase-the-role-of-brand-in-guiding-shoppers-choices-report-highlights
Cadent Consulting Group. eMarketer: Private Labels Influence Retailer Choice - Cadent Consulting Group Cadent Consulting Group (cadentcg.com)