Darrell's Deals is no flavour of the week

Those in the industry know Darrell Jones as president of Overwaitea Food Group. But to the residents of Cranbrook, B.C., Jones is the family friend you grew up with.

Jones took on the role of president just two years ago, but got his start with Overwaitea Food Group 37 years ago bagging groceries. Now, he’s the face of Overwaitea’s latest marketing campaign.

Dan Howe, VP marketing, communications and rewards with Overwaitea, says Darrell epitomizes the company’s brand – local, genuine, friendly, loyal and passionate.

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“Building the campaign around him was a no-brainer,” he says. “People can relate to him – and they connect his strong values with the company.”

Jones is a central figure of the Save-On-Foods website – there’s even an “About Darrell” page featuring an ad showcasing his story and the importance of his team members.

Save-On-Foods released that ad near the end of April. The second portion of the campaign, Darrell’s Deals, began in May. That component is made up of commercials where Darrell highlights a weekly special.  An illustrated version of his face also appears in weekly flyers.
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“Everyone in retail can resonate with the insight that you always get when asked for a special deal from friends and family,” says Howe. “This is the premise of Darrell’s Deals. As president, he can finally reward customers with great deals.”

Howe says the campaign represents Overwaitea’s attempt to differentiate itself from the competition.

“We know that nobody can compete on price alone <…>,” he says. “We wanted something that defined our brand and also communicated our family spirit.”

Howe says testing shows the program is doing quite well. “He is resonating with customers and it is driving our business.”