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METRO Cash & Carry
METRO Cash & Carry has more than 18,100 employees and runs 120 self-service wholesale markets in Germany. The company services more than 3.35 million customers in more than 600 stores in 29 countries around the world. The METRO Group is one of the most important international retail companies. Up until 2005, however, their services and range of goods were not sufficiently communicated to the media and to their customers, so that METRO Cash & Carry turned to the COUNTERPART GROUP, asking us to analyse their strengths and to secure and expand their market position.
We created a comprehensive communications strategy with the goal of increasing the emotional value of the METRO brand. In terms of PR this meant pro-active topic management with respect to the multiplicity and quality of the goods on offer. It also meant informing professional restaurant and pub owners about the strengths of the self-service wholesaler and involving them in the store’s activities. From merchandise technology to information on hygiene regulations to regular editorial inserts in the gourmet magazines “Feinschmecker” and “WeinGourmet”, in which professional cooks allow the reader to look over their shoulder while presenting the METRO product range, the company created attention getting news and lodged itself in the consciousness of the target group. The specialist media reporting on the company increased and for the first time the company also has an editorial presence in consumer targeted media. High-quality wine tasting, which took place within the framework of the wine industry WineAwards, made METRO Cash & Carry something which producers and consumers could experience, reducing prejudices and internal barriers to the company’s product selection.
The result: the communications measures closed a gap in the company’s strategic marketing. METRO Cash & Carry can now be found in the media, can communicate with their target groups and has achieved a very broad level of recognition.
