Aldi Retail - Social Transformation
McCann Manchester
Client: Aldi Stores UK
The communications landscape is ever changing and social media has become arguably the fastest changing area in our time. Aldi was the fastest growing UK grocer over 2010-2020, becoming the fifth largest player and endearing itself in the national psyche with much loved TV campaigns including 'Like Brands' and 'Kevin the Carrot'.
However, Aldi's social media presence was rather more pedestrian; Risk averse management hampered the generation of virile social content and the team's ability to respond in the moment, leaving little option but to re-use above-the-line assets.
This left Aldi struggling to reach the younger, pre-family target shoppers who spend less time with traditional media in favour of social channels.
By focusing social channels on exemplifying Aldi's 'Piratical' TOV and taking a progressive ‘toe-in-the-water’ approach to risk aversion, management grew in confidence and got their 'mojo' back.
As a result Aldi's social team scored a series of ever more audacious and high-profile successes. Social followers rose dramatically and Aldi even sold over £1million of Special Buys merchandise. Further payback came with the launch of Aldi’s 2021 Christmas teaser campaign with zero paid media investment, saving over £500,000 vs 2020.