Real Canadian Superstore shows how to 'shop like a mother'

Loblaw’s Real Canadian Superstore marked Mother’s Day this year by launching a cheeky advertising campaign that celebrates those people who can “shop like a mother.”

Three TV spots show mothers (and one husband) getting the most from their Superstore shopping experience with nearby, in-store observers recounting their impressive accomplishments in awe: “That’s how you shop like a mother.”





Last year, Real Canadian Superstore ran its first fully-integrated ad campaign in years, focusing on the strengths of RCS and its 40 year history. “The two-year strategy was to follow-up in 2019 with a brand campaign that celebrates and pays respect to our loyal customers,” said Karen Gumbs, director of public relations and communications at Loblaw Companies Limited.

Customer research suggested the business could be more transparent and authentic in its advertising, she said. “To celebrate real life moments and imperfections in a way that resonates. We chose humour to emotionally connect and create content that’s relatable.” The result was an ad campaign that “unlocked truths, debunked myths, and tapped into new insights about our brand and our customers.”

One ad shows a shopper (actress Catherine Reitman from CBC's Workin' Moms) realizing at checkout she forgot the all-important cumin needed for a dinner—she expertly races back to grab the cumin and make it back before the checkout was complete.





In another, a mother who is “shopping while hungry” opens many of the items in her cart to snack as she walks the aisles, and a third is all about the impressive ways a husband and wife team used their PC Optimum points to roam a store shopping at will.





And while the “Shop like a mother” tagline seems to exclude a large consumer segment who are not mothers, Gumbs said that is not the case.

"'Shop like a mother’ is inclusive. It’s a mindset,” she said. “An attitude that anyone can own. You don’t have to be a mother to shop like a mother—but there are a lot of mother’s out there to thank for showing us how it’s done.”

The campaign launched on Mother’s Day but will run in waves throughout the year on TV, radio, in print and digital as well as through loyalty and in-store activations.