UK supermarkets have a big fight on their hands as the cost of living peaks (we hope) with massive energy price rises coming through in October. Discounters Aldi and Lidl, who seemed to have been contained, will presumably make further inroads.
Non-food products will arguably become more important and Sainsbury’s has a decent line-up with Habitat homewares, Argos (although the jury may still be out on that one) and clothing line Tu, claimed to be the UK’s fifth biggest brand.
Sainsbury’s has been refreshing its agency line-up accordingly. The main business is with Wieden+Kennedy (which has done pretty well with its design-led approach) but Ogilvy recently launched a campaign for the retailer’s new SmartShop app; another nightmare as you go round a store phone in hand, searching for a signal.
New Commercial Arts has been the biggest winner though, with Habitat safely bagged plus work for beauty products. Now it’s won Tu from retail specialist Portas, aiming to show that Tu offers “vibrant and accessible style for all” (whether you’ve got any money or not.)
NCO CCO Ian Heartfield says: “Tu is a large and important clothing brand in the UK and it’s never been more important to offer everyone exciting style at very affordable prices.”
Tu caps another good week for NCA which earlier won online retailer Not On The high Street, following hard on the heels of Redefine Meat globally and Nando’s.
NCA, founded in the depths of the pandemic and whose other accounts number Halifax, (some of) Vodafone and Moneysupermarket, will surely be in the UK’s top ten creative agencies when the numbers are next totted up.
