Cutting comms: retail giants risk regression

by Sophia Dass

​Britain’s supermarkets are facing increasing cost pressures and ever-evolving business models, leading to a number of significant changes. One of these is the abolition of PR agency relationships and in-house communication departments– a potential minefield for brand promotion and loyalty.

While cost reduction will always remain a top business priority for retailers, it is foolish to sacrifice PR and marketing – both of which are catalysts for brand trust, and in turn, business growth. Retail giant, Tesco, has recently showcased the power of comms in its tampon tax campaign, where it announced itself to be the first retailer to cover the VAT cost of shoppers’ sanitary products. Tesco has also brought in an external party to create a 30-second film, supporting their in-store campaign - #TescoTamponTaxOff.

The tampon tax campaign highlights that Tesco still heralds insight-driven comms as a critical business function. In the short film, we see a spokesperson in a public space chatting to women about their opinion on the tax, creating a sincere and personalised component to Tesco’s campaign. Like Tesco, it is worth considering an external comms team to support in-house departments, in order to foster strategic relationships and creatively grow your brand. After all, two heads are always better than one!
​
It is no secret that if you feel truly valued by a brand, you are more likely to return to them in the future. Beneath every business plan and complex comms strategy, there is one simple message: the brand is nothing without the customer. Tesco is a leading example in its ability to cater to its customers through its sophisticated comms strategy, but more importantly, in its mission to champion equality by eliminating period poverty across the UK.