Maine supermarket takes flak for Y2K campaign

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Maine supermarket takes flak for Y2K campaign

By David Sharp, Associated Press, 11/13/99 16:12 PORTLAND, Maine (AP) Whether you're hunkering down for the collapse of civilization or preparing for the party of the century, Shop 'n Save has a message for you: the shopping starts here.

Printed on the supermarkets' shopping bags is a list of items to stock up on, like baby formula, bottled propane, canned goods, flashlights. Some items bear tags, ''Be Prepared: Stock Up Item.''

More upbeat? Shop 'n Save has you covered as well, suggesting beverages, party platters and snacks.

The ''Be Prepared'' campaign is so subtle it has gone unnoticed by many customers at the 153 supermarkets from Maine to the Carolinas. But some of those who have noticed have seen red.

''When I saw it, I rolled my eyes, shrugged and shook my head,'' said Jessica Leary, a Shop 'n Save customer. ''It's always good to be prepared, but everyone is going a tad overboard.''

Tim McGonagle of Portland also was turned off.

''I was kind of disgusted in a way because they're using a scare tactic to boost their sales,'' he said last week.

The complaints, which stunned Shop 'n Save, demonstrate why most companies seem reluctant to use Y2K in their marketing and advertising.

There is a downside to hype, said David Wachspress, head of the school of management at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. And besides, people's worries about Y2K problems seem to have abated for now.

Concerns about Y2K revolve around whether older computer programs will misread Jan. 1, 2000, as Jan. 1, 1900, causing computers to crash.

Some fear power outages, contaminated water or banking problems, as well as a temporary shortages of goods.

So far, government officials have played down potential problems, and marketing experts seem inclined to agree.

Marian Salzman, director of Young & Rubicam's Brand Futures Group, said companies that heighten people's Y2K concerns risk being accused of bad taste and could end up looking plain silly.

''Big brands need to be very sensitive. If bad things happen it will be horrific. If good things happen it won't get coverage. The net is anyone out there talking up Y2K is extremely vulnerable,'' she said.

Shop 'n Save's checklist and ''Be Prepared'' tags were never intended to cause alarm, said Caren Epstein, spokeswoman for Scarborough-based Hannaford Bros., Shop 'n Save's parent company.

She said the campaign was a response to requests from anxious customers who vividly remember a massive ice storm in January 1998. Many Mainers lost their electricity for a week.

Hannaford plans to have plenty of food on the shelves and doesn't foresee any year-end problems. The list was for those who might want to stock up despite assurances, either for potential Y2K problems or for winter storms, Epstein said.

''There is no intent to suggest these items will not be available. They will be available,'' she said. ''Hannaford is Y2K-prepared and you shouldn't have any problem getting all of the items you need.''

Some other companies have gone out of their way to distance themselves from concerns about Y2K. Del Monte, the nation's largest producer of canned vegetables and fruits, decided more than a year ago not to take advantage of Y2K to boost sales.

''It's completely irresponsible to throw fuel on the fire,'' said William Spain, senior vice president for corporate affairs in San Francisco. ''There's no need for that kind of bunker mentality.''

Likewise, Campbell's soup isn't taking advantage, said John Faulkner, a spokesman at company headquarters in Camden, N.J.

''We really didn't want to be connected with creating some sort of alarmist situation,'' he said.

Some companies are seeing sales growth without having to mention Y2K.

PUR, which makes portable water purifiers for campers, has seen a 60 percent jump in sales this year that is attributable directly to the desire of people to be prepared, said Alan Lizee, director of sales and marketing in Minneapolis.

The company ran magazine advertisements earlier this year showing a tornado and urging people to prepare for emergencies. But there was no mention of Y2K, Lizee said.

''Y2K is certainly a catalyst for what's going on. But we're not using Y2K in our messages or our advertising,'' he said.

Home Depot reports that sales of generators are up, particularly in the Northeast, though there have been no promotions. ''We think it would be a disservice to the public to frighten people into buying something they wouldn't otherwise need,'' said spokesman John Simley in Edison, N.J.

Meanwhile, Hannaford isn't the only supermarket with a ''stock up'' list. Giant Food Inc., a Maryland-based chain with 178 stores in the Mid-Atlantic states, provided customers with a similar list of American Red Cross-recommended items for Y2K preparedness.

Barry Scher, Giant Food's vice president for public affairs, said he has heard of no criticism.

Patricia Werhane, a business ethics professor at the University of Virginia's graduate business school, said she is not alarmed by such advertising.

There are worse things going on, she said. And besides, customers are smart enough to know what they need.

''These are adults who shop and they can figure this thing out,'' Werhane said. ''They're not saying you're going to die if you don't have 45 boxes of diapers.''

Hannaford's ''Be Prepared'' campaign is in the process of being replaced by a new campaign. If Hannaford had to do it over again, the supermarket would have created the list but lowered its profile, Epstein said.

''The intent was to provide a customer service,'' she said. ''Obviously it's not our idea to upset customers.''



-- Roland (nottelling@nowhere.com), November 14, 1999

Answers

Smart & Final the other day packed my purchases in bags alerting me to the fact that I should think of it as my local emergency supply center.

-- Paula (chowbabe@pacbell.net), November 14, 1999.

"Marian Salzman, director of Young & Rubicam's Brand Futures Group, said companies that heighten people's Y2K concerns risk being accused of bad taste and could end up looking plain silly. "

Hope you're happy with yourself Kosky. This is your doing. These people don't want to run the risk of looking plain silly. They are so dumbed down by your media blitz that they are complaining to their grocers. You can smell the fear out here in mainstream land. It's starting to sink in on the herd that not everyone will make it through the chute. Some might actually end up as hamburger and they are uncomfortable....however, they won't prepare until YOU tell them that you lied and you had to lie to protect them. Get going damn it. Otherwise these people will be on your tab.

-- Gordon (g_gecko_69@hotmail.com), November 14, 1999.


My measured response: AAAIIIEEEIEIEAAIIAAAGRH!

-- Colin MacDonald (roborogerborg@yahoo.com), November 14, 1999.

Just 47 days...just 25 Federal days...and Maine is in a pretty cold part of the country...I'm prepping now, but WILL party in January.

Can't wait to see what happens!



-- K. Stevens (kstevens@ Can't wait for "the Moment of Turth" in January.com), November 14, 1999.


One of our local supermkts has been running radio ads saying, "Smart Americans know you can never have too many canned goods." Not coming out and saying Y2K but on track.

-- Mr. Mike (mikeabn@aol.com), November 14, 1999.


Just 47 days....just 25 Federal days...and Maine is in a pretty cold part of the country...I'm prepping now, but WILL party in January.

Can't wait to see what happens!



-- K. Stevens (kstevens@ Can't wait for "the Moment of Truth" in January.com), November 14, 1999.


See also thread...

Del Monte Planning On Y2K Cornucopia: Canned-Goods Producer Says It May Sell As Much As 2 Million Extra Cases Of Food (San Francisco Chronicle)

http://www.greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id= 001kpZ



-- Diane J. Squire (sacredspaces@yahoo.com), November 14, 1999.


My local supermarkets' cashiers, baggers and stocking clerks are pathetic. Those who have heard about Y2K crack jokes with smirks, but others don't have a clue about this "Y2K computer thing". I don't ever see any shoppers stocking up. Everything's gonna be just fine, they confidently declare, because the government says it won't be worse than a three day Winter snow storm. Sheesh...

-- Randolph (dinosaur@williams-net.com), November 14, 1999.

I suppose if someone doesn't like the stores advertising techniques then don't shop there, more for me to buy.....

-- bardou (bardou@baloney.com), November 14, 1999.

Just hope somebody out there is writing down a list of all the government agencies, talking heads, agencies, spinmeisters, etc., so IF Y2K turns out to be something , we'll be able to convene a trial in The Hague for "Crimes Against Humanity".

I think there is at least one person...SANTA.

He's making a list, checking it twice...

-- profit of doom (doom@helltopay.ca), November 14, 1999.



Our local independent grocer had a Y2K insert in the weekly ad. It was a very handy checkoff sheet for ordering case lots of canned goods. The only negative comments I have heard are about regrets at having missed the caseload sale.

-- pamela (jpjgood@penn.com), November 14, 1999.

I think it's our responsibility to support those businesses who have gone out of their way to carry supplies that we need to stock up on both now AND after the rollover. I've SEEN the light! I will never go without a pantry again. Once established, I've saved anywhere from 30 to 60 percent on each shopping trip. That's hard to argue with.

I applaud those grocers who aren't afraid of looking silly and who will look rather smart if there are problems no matter how temporary. Then THEY can say...we did our part.

beej

-- beej (beej@ppbbs.com), November 14, 1999.


Good for Shop n Save. Good for the other chains that have initiated similar programs. Bad on those who are complaining. I don't wish ill on anyone, but I'd like to see the expression on the faces of those complaining come mid-January when they look inside their pantries and see...nothing.

Good news from my store. I have an endcap up of bulk white rice and pinto beans, and it's moving reasonably well. Moving lots of firewood, lots of batteries, lots of canned goods... People *are* preparing...how many and how much is hard to tell...

I distributed the Red Cross checklist with the associates' paychecks last summer and have it prominently displayed at the service desk and in a couple of aisles. Sure, it's on the conservative side, but better than nothing. And, no, I haven't received any complaints about it yet.

Here's the ultimate DGI comment from my immediate supervisor, who wondered a couple of weeks ago why I had 18 pallets of Arrowhead 2.5 gallon drinking water on Dexions in the backroom: "We shouldn't be warehousing anything. Just order it as you need it."

If I had space for more pallets, I'd order more water...

And BTW, we're closed on New Year's Day. All 2400+ stores in the chain, apparently (hint: ABS).

-- Canstacker (anon@anon.com), November 15, 1999.


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