Campaign '08

DATE FIXED FOR NIW 2008

NEW IDEAS IN THE PIPELINE

The FWD PR Action Group (PRAG) has agreed the date for National Independents' Week in 2008. It will commence on Monday June 2.

My Shop Is Your Shop campaign chairman Alan Toft said:" It's important that we keep to early June for the 08 NIW having invested so much in fixing the old one day event to take place early in the month.

We hope that suppliers and wholesalers particularly will get this date into their promotional calendars immediately so that any forward planning will include NIW and its promotional potential for the sector".

Toft said the scale of activity in NIW 07 had demonstrated its unique and powerful potential as a sales opportunity and as a sales builder over time.

"We talk about the value brought to the community by independent c stores, newsagents and rural shops. We do not complain about the Big Four. It's a positive and a selling message to the consumer" said Toft.

The biggest ever generic promotional platform for independent retailers was launched by MSYS in 2004 as a one day event but was extended to one week by F W D in view of its successful impact on the sector.

Two thirds of the wholesale industry and about 45,000 independent retailers were involved in NIW 07 by putting on special events or stocking brands which suppliers and wholesalers promoted for the week. Suppliers and wholesalers supported the week by supplying personnel for store visits.

Many suppliers delivered free products and gifts for street parties and fun days organised by independents.

The PRAG committee driving the activity has been joined by Lesley Brown, the Barnstaple retailer in whose store Booker boss Charles Wilson worked during NIW.

His visit resulted in a pledge to help Lesley add £10,000 a year to her profits from opportunities he identified during his visit.

Lesley told the FWD annual conference in March that MSYS had halted the decline in sales at her shop.

A number of new concepts for MSYS and NIW 08 are on the drawing board and will be confirmed at the next meeting of PRAG on September 18.