Campaign 2007

NID grows into National Independents' Week in '07

Next year will see the first ever consumer trading week focused on the independent retailer with the launch of National Independents' Week (NIW) - the successor to National Independents' Day (NID).

The FWD PR Action group (PRAG) driving the My Shop Is Your Shop campaign has designated the first week of June (Monday 4th to the 11th) as the first NIW.

Alan Toft, MSYS chairman, said the wholesaler inspired move was designed to give greater scope to consumer pr and in store marketing activity following the success of the original one day event.

"We can now use the investment of funds and energy across seven days instead of one. It makes better marketing sense for the big brands and wholesalers who are backing the campaign" said Toft.

NID, he said, was a toe in the water and its success had proved that there was widespread consumer and trade support for a campaign which avoided complaining about Tesco and focused on the positive values of the independent sector serving the community.

The move has received retailer support.

Christine and Denis Lusby, of St Breward Stores, Bodmin, Cornwall, said that NIW was a "great idea".

Carol Hardstaff, who runs a Londis at Woodland Grove, Nottingham, said:" I agree whole-heartedly. Many people want to support the independent but it is not always easy for them to get into the shop on one specific day".

Retailers Mike Duffy, of The Square, Guildlford, and Darren Norman, Main Street,Farcet, Peterborough, supported the move from one day to a week.

Leamington Spa retailer Sunder Shander, a member of the PRAG committee which agreed the move to a week, said :"This will give retailers the opportunity to wear the special t shirts and use other promotional materials for seven days rather than the one day.

"It will make a much greater impact on the consumer - which is what we are all seeking" he said.

NIW will be supported by another national media money off coupon promotion similar to the Daily Mirror/Daily Record feature in which ten big brands took part in June this year.

"By devoting a full seven days to this MSYS week of activity we will have a bigger platform on which suppliers and wholesalers can build their supporting promotions" said Toft.

Money Off Coupon Footfall Promotion for National Independents' Week

Millions of money off coupons on leading brands will be in circulation for redemption at local family independent retailers to mark National Independents' week June 4th - June 10th 2007.

An historic first-ever generic coupon promotion will appear in The Mirror in England and Wales and The Daily Record in Scotland on Friday June 1st.

11 of the major supporters of the My Shop Is Your Shop (MSYS) campaign, organised by the Federation of Wholesale Distributors, are participating in the activity which is designed to increase footfall in independent stores during the period around June 1st.

The 9 suppliers are: Masterfoods, Diageo, GlaxoSmithKline, S&N (Scottish & Newcastle), PepsiCo, Unilever, Birdseye, FGL Wines, Premier Foods.

Every cash and carry and delivered wholesaler, whether members of FWD or not, has been alerted to the promotion. They are being urged to feature the products in depot and on PLOF.

Alan Toft, director general of FWD and chairman of the MSYS campaign, said: "We are making history. Never before has every independent retailer been supported by a national newspaper advertorial feature promoting the genuine independent and carrying money off coupons for the consumer to redeem at local shops." He said wholesalers had been clamouring for a footfall driver to be linked with the overall pr media campaign for NID.

"The 9 suppliers have shown their genuine support for wholesalers and independents and this will be noted by everyone involved in the wholesale industry," said Toft.

Coupons will bear a clear message to the consumer that they can only be redeemed at local non-multiple family independent shops. Full instructions guiding the retailer on how to claim the coupon value will be printed on each coupon.

"We need every cash and carry and every delivered depot manager to alert their retailers to the products involved in this promotion to ensure that they are stocked in the shop when consumers bring in their coupons", said Toft.

He added that since the promotion was announced, many suppliers had declared their intention to take part in a similar activity for National Independents' week next year.