Wilko has taken inspiration from Pirates of the Caribbean for its first-ever TV ad campaign.
The multimillion pound push, which features a crew of pirates trying to get one up on a rival vessel by upgrading their ship with Wilko goods, marks the rebranding of the retailer from Wilkinson to Wilko across its 370 stores.
The three TV ads - the first work by Manchester agency TBWA for the retailer - launched this week and air at peak times with the strapline ‘Where there’s a Wilko there’s a way’. The ads have a particular emphasis on seasonal ranges for decorating/DIY and gardening.
“We run advertising campaigns every year but this is an exciting step change for us because it marks the culmination of many years of hard work in every part of the business,” said a Wilko spokesman, adding activity had included changes to the in-store environment, development of online, click & collect and mobile shopping, as well as major product and category reviews.
“We have made significant advances in the quality of products, product sourcing, three-tier own-label development, and getting the right brands on board,” the spokesman added.
Wilko, which employs 23,000 staff and has annual sales of around £1.5bn, last month announced the appointment of Sean Toal, The Co-operative Group’s chief operating officer for food, as its new chief operating officer. It replaced CEO Stuart Mitchell, who left the business in 2012, with a COO rather than a like-for-like replacement as part of its Structuring for Success strategy. It is understood that Toal won’t begin the role until this summer.
Last month, Wilko topped The Grocer’s ranking of the UK’s Top 50 independent grocery retailers for the fifth year in a row.
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