No Frills tells shoppers to get the frill out of their bill

No Frills says there’s a price to be paid for those fancy in-store musicians, chalkboard artists and produce items stacked like pyramids: higher grocery bills.

A new national marketing campaign—No Frills’ first in about six years—urges consumers to “get the frill out of their bill,” with an aim to demonstrate the banner’s commitment to quality food at low prices.

“We want to make sure that Canadians think about the value they’re getting and what No Frills can offer,” says Mike Rinaldi, senior vice-president, discount division, Loblaw Companies. “We really want our customers to be proud of the value that they’re seeking and for being smart and savvy grocery shoppers.”

The first TV spot in a series opens with a woman in the produce section asking, “Why are these apples so expensive?” The answer comes in the form of a song from an in-store band, with lyrics like “a little bit goes to our jam space and the chalkboard artist with the hairy face.” The scene then changes to a No Frills store, where the woman says, “ah, that’s better.”

“ comes back to our DNA,” says Mary MacIsaac, vice-president of marketing, discount division at Loblaw Companies. “No Frills is about ‘we said it, we meant it.’ We are about no frills and it’s celebrating that in a no frills, simple, fun tone.”





The campaign also includes radio, out of home and digital advertising, as well as social media initiatives.

According to a survey commissioned by Loblaw in April, two important factors for shoppers when choosing where to buy groceries are fair pricing (87%) and good value for money (87%).

Rinaldi says the target audience is anyone who is looking for value and low-prices on everyday essentials. As the campaign communicates, “if you don’t want to pay for frills, No Frills is for you,” he says.