The big red hand crosses the Pacific

Former Coles boss Ian McLeod certainly knows a winning formula when he sees one.

The man who led the turnaround at the supermarket, famously imported some greatest hits from the UK, including the Sainsbury’s “feed your family for a fiver” promotion.

A former director of UK supermarket Asda, McLeod had something of a cultural impact on Australia by reintroducing the country – via Ted Horton’s Big Red agency – to Status Quo. And the big red hand, of course.

Last year, McLeod moved on to the US, and BI-LO Holdings.

And the new BI-LO marketing strategy may seem a tad similar, what with Curtis Stone fronting some of the ads and offering “Cooking with Curtis for under $10”.

And the latest work from BI-Lo may trigger a bout of deja vu too.

To the tune of “Nine To Five”, comes “Prices are Down, Down, Down”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnYj7k-DPgM

And fair to say the staff are finding the tune every bit as catchy – and annoying – as its Australian incarnation. A typical comment on the brand’s YouTube channel: “This song would be more enjoyable if it wasn’t being played CONSTANTLY on the in-store radio. I honestly pity the Bi-Lo employees who have to listen to this over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over during their shift. I’d rather shop at Walmart than listen to this song one more time.”

Mr McLeod has learned his lessons well…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GdV4pr4frd4