Does Shopping Cart Advertising Really Work?

We get asked this question a lot. I know that many of my long-time advertisers get asked this question by friends & colleagues. My answer may surprise some of you: It depends. 

If you are selling parts for vintage Chevrolet Corvettes, and your market covers an entire state, I would tell you to spend your advertising dollars elsewhere. However, if your product or service is needed by a significant percentage of the local populace, particularly the 5 miles surrounding one of our local grocery store partners, I can tell you with absolute confidence that Cartvertising not only WORKS, but that you would be hard pressed to find another medium that will reach a higher percentage of that target market, and not just reach that market… but do so day after day, week after week, month after month, for one of the lowest costs per impression in the advertising industry.  

A good marketing program with typically “touch” (not simply arrive at a door, but actually be looked at, seen and read) only a small percentage of a community sporadically throughout the year. Because we are partnered with such great grocery chains, which have tremendous local market share, we are reaching the vast majority of people who live, work or both in a 5-mile radius of our stores. Such repetitive & deep market penetration is almost unheard of in advertising, even if our advertisers had unlimited budgets; and of course, no one does.  

So yes, our program works tremendously well for the right type of business. This leads to the obvious question: How do you define “working”? What should the Advertiser’s expectations be? In a Direct Marketing program such as direct mail, Google Ad Words or couponing, an advertiser will typically anticipate phone calls, clicks or coupon redemptions. Shopping Cart Advertising, by comparison, as we all know, falls into the realm of marketing known as Branding or Exposure Marketing.  

Branding, by definition, is a marketing practice in which a company creates a name, symbol or design that is easily identifiable as belonging to the company. This helps to identify a product or service and distinguish it from other products and services. The same basic principles apply to a Global Brand as a Local Brand, such as a Realtor, Insurance Agency, Auto Repair Shop, Dentist or Child Care Center. People are attracted to, and want to do business with, a name that is easily identifiable. Even after 128 years, Coca Cola is still advertising and promoting their brand. Why? Competition.  

I actually prefer the term “Name Recognition” over “Branding” as it is more descriptive. I believe name recognition is the most important thing in marketing, as the more people are familiar with a business name, market share and business growth will obviously follow. That doesn’t happen overnight. You need day after day, week after week, month after month exposure. This is particularly important for the big things in life: family, home, health & finance, which are top Cart Categories. 

Studies show that for someone unfamiliar with a business, they need to be exposed 15 to 21 times before that particular business name becomes recognizable. The average grocery store shopper spends 2 to 3 times per week shopping… a lot more than 21 times over the course of a year! Actually, the national trend is that people are shopping more than ever... more visits for fewer, fresher items. Home delivery seems to be mostly for non-perishables, as most people don’t want a teenager picking out their meat, fish & produce. 

That repetition is the key to name awareness. Which leads to the next question: What should be the expectations of a Cart Advertiser?  Just as with a highway billboard, bus shelter or bus wrap, people are unlikely to call directly from the ads. Why? Because they aren’t holding the ads in their hands. Most people in 2021 find phone numbers online. Which business are they most likely to call? The one whose name is most familiar. That repetition also increases the likelihood of increasing that “word of mouth” referral base we hear so much about from advertisers… it increases the chance for that referral to be remembered. 

Our program creates “buzz”. We get people thinking about a business, talking about them. “I’m shopping with you!” is one of the most common comments heard by our long-time advertisers. Facebook selfies & text message photos of cart ads are also quite common. Yes, those are typically from current clients, friends & family members. If people who know you are mentioning the ads, then people who don’t know you are also certainly noticing the ads. They are just less likely to verbalize about the ad. When was the last time you personally called or walked into a place of business and commented on their advertising? 

For a good branding program to be successful, you need a great ad: Simple, colorful, large text, few words, great visuals. Be sure to include a strong “power message” or slogan: “Got Back Pain?”, “Need An Eye Exam?”, “Shopping for a Realtor?”, “Love Your Smile!”, etc. And include a great photo… include the owner’s picture whenever possible and appropriate. 

Before I finish a presentation, I always explain to the Advertiser what to expect and what not to expect: “Mr, Advertiser, people are not going to call you from the frozen food aisle. What is happening is that people are becoming acutely aware, acutely reminded of your business.” Part of our job, working with small businesses, is education, particularly if you want to increase the chances of renewal. 

So, yes, Cartvertising WORKS. Name recognition is a powerful thing. To quote our late, great Cart Brother, Mark Levine, “People like to do business with the name that’s most familiar.” Our program does exactly that... increasing name awareness in powerful way.