Morrisons: Fresh growth from relaunch-through-recession

After integrating Safeways in 2007, Morrisons’ market share had fallen. Morrisons’ biggest challenge was getting the public to reappraise their food quality at both relaunch and throughout the recession. While competitors focused exclusively on price and promotion, Morrisons adopted a counter-intuitive strategy by continuing to celebrate their fresh food quality. Television advertising brought the fresh, 'great outdoors' to people's screens and different 'celebrity shoppers', including Richard Hammond, were used to increase national acceptance and engagement. The campaign turned perceptions of Morrisons food around and made them the fastest growing big four supermarket out of a recession, growing market share from 11% to 12%. Payback is calculated at £12 to every £1 spent, and the campaign generated £295m of incremental sales.