As The GIANT Company continues the rollout of its new brand platform, “For Today’s Table™, the company is breaking away from the typical marketing campaign, instead taking an approach that’s rooted in and celebrates real people, telling real stories about real life. In The GIANT Company’s latest campaign, five real families are the stars, showcasing the brand’s commitment to authenticity in all it does as it delivers its core message: that the world is a better place when families come together at their table and connect over a meal, no matter where their table may be.
“To really capture the essence of For Today’s Table, we wanted to create something that was authentic and relatable, and there was no better way to achieve that than by showcasing our real customers and their families,” said Matt Simon, chief marketing officer, The GIANT Company. “Our decision to move away from actors, scripts and staged scenes in favor of real stories from real people speaks directly to what today’s customers are seeking as they make decisions about where to shop and who they turn to when it comes to caring for their families; they want a real brand. It’s our hope that they’ll see themselves in these families and The GIANT Company as their partner in making life a little bit easier and helping them get back to what matters most.”
The new campaign includes a recording of the iconic song, “Teach Your Children” by Crosby Stills Nash & Young, covered by a GIANT Company team member, Hannah Reese. Helping to tell the For Today’s Table story are five families: The Gorals from Jamison, Pa., The Lys from Lansdale, Pa., The Byrds from Hagerstown, Md., The Butts from Pennsburg, Pa., and The Esteps from Harrisonburg, Va., and each are actual GIANT and MARTIN’S customers.
To capture real life, each family was asked to film themselves over the course of several weeks, capturing the good, the unexpected, the challenging and everything in between. The result was hours of footage as the families moved through daily life: morning routines, mealtime, playtime, celebrations and more were all caught on film.
A new 30-second TV spot for GIANT, as well as a version for its MARTIN’S banner, is now airing, as are digital and social elements. To view a special extended version of the TV spot, complete with additional scenes, visit https://youtu.be/uTVbsnU2ecw.
“As we viewed the initial footage, any reservations we had immediately disappeared, as it was clear these families brought their stories to life in a way that a storyboard couldn’t ever do. The final product has exceeded our expectations in every way, and we are beyond excited to continue sharing the real stories of these families, which we think will really resonate with our customers,” added Simon.
The creative treatment and production were handled by Brownstein Group, advertising agency of record for The GIANT Company. To highlight the power of family connections, Brownstein Group developed a creative treatment to capture honest and heartfelt moments that define what gathering at the table really means.
“You can’t fake authenticity,” said Meredith Schwinder, creative director at Brownstein Group. “In order to do this right, we had to hand over the cameras to actual customers. There was no script. There were no storyboards. We just set out to find five awesome families who were willing to let us into their worlds. As a result, the spot breaks through with genuine purpose that is true to GIANT’s new brand platform.”
To learn more about For Today’s Table, visit https://giantfoodstores.com/pages/our-brand.
About The GIANT Company
The GIANT Company believes that no matter where or how, when meals happen, families connect, and when families connect meaningfully, good happens. Guided by its brand platform, For Today’s Table, the omni-channel retailer proudly serves millions of neighbors across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. With more than 35,000 talented team members supporting nearly 190 stores, 132 pharmacies, 105 fuel stations, and over 130 online pickup hubs and grocery delivery service in hundreds of zip codes, The GIANT Company is changing the customer experience and connecting families for a better future. Founded in 1923 in Carlisle, Pa., The GIANT Company family of brands includes GIANT, MARTIN’S, GIANT Heirloom Market, GIANT Direct and MARTIN’S Direct. The GIANT Company is a company of Ahold Delhaize USA. For more information, visit the GIANT or MARTIN’S websites.