Calgary Co-op – Its Membership Refreshed!

Calgary Co-op is one of the largest retail co-operatives in North America. In November of 2022, Calgary Co-op publicly announced the first step in what would be a big year for the cooperative, revealing that they would be updating their brand and visual identity. This was a move being done to differentiate itself from Federated Co-ops and to represent the new benefits that Calgary Co-op would soon bring to its members. Together with Calgary Co-op, we embarked on a plan to share the new brand and future membership benefits with the Calgary community. 

The first significant update to come to life was the full media launch of Co-op’s new brand and platform, “Life’s in Store.” The purpose of the new brand platform was to showcase that Calgary Co-op was more committed than ever to providing “Life’s essentials, as well as a lifetime of benefits, rewards, and savings for members.” With this platform, Calgary Co-op sought to renew its commitment to its membership and the local community. The new brand identity was rolled out across all of Co-op’s lines of business, including grocery, pharmacy, wine, spirits, beer, cannabis, home health care, and gas stations. 

Along with the Calgary Co-op’s renewed brand came a refreshed logo. The new logo contains a C, which represents Calgary Co-op, and within the logo are the open arms of the cooperative. The seeds in the logo design are present to represent the farmers and providers that grow the fresh, local food that Calgary Co-op offers. The logo can also be looked at as a wheel, reflective of the fuel to keep its members moving. 

At the time of the rebrand unveiling, Co-op also teased its new loyalty app and its new membership benefits that would be coming down the road. Now, in October of 2023, the app has officially launched and become available for member download. 

The new Calgary Co-op app is a vehicle to bring a variety of new benefits and savings opportunities to members. From bonus cash to gamification to personalized offers, there is no shortage of new and exciting content in the Calgary Co-op app. Here are some of the highlights and key features of the new app: 

• Bonus Cash:  The app brings the introduction of Bonus Cash to Calgary Co-op members, which accumulates when you purchase selected items. Items vary by week, so it won’t be difficult for members to find bonus cash items they desire. When you accumulate bonus cash, you have the choice to use it instantly or let it accumulate to be used on a larger purchase in the future. Bonus cash is redeemable at any Calgary Co-op location, whether it’s for food, wine, spirits, beer, cannabis, or home health care, and soon at Calgary Co-op gas stations. 
• Play & Win: The Calgary Co-op App allows members to play free, weekly games in order to win free or heavily discounted items from Calgary Co-op’s stores and track winnings in their personal shopping lists. 
• Shopping list: The app allows members to easily keep track of their shopping list in-app. As mentioned, winnings from the play & win component are automatically added so you can keep track of your bonus items with ease. 
• Personalized Offers: Based on past shopping behaviours, members also receive weekly personalized offers through the app, allowing them to most easily view and access the savings opportunities that are relevant to them. 
• Pharmacy: The Calgary Co-op app allows members to manage prescriptions, refill medications, and even book appointments like virtual consultations and vaccinations.

Vovia has been lucky to work with Co-op through this exciting and transformational period in 2023. To help build awareness of Co-op’s new brand platform and App, we launched full-scale media campaigns with everything from Broadcast Radio and TV to the latest trending social channels. Knowing the need to communicate this new and unique message effectively, we have leveraged channels not previously used in our media mix with Calgary Co-op. This included things like vertical video on TikTok, Google and Native Touch App Campaigns, which send users directly to the app store, and even creative formats like Sponsored Advertorials. Whether you’re surfing the internet, killing time on social media, or watching TV, keep your eyes and ears out for the new app launch materials that are out in the wild! While we are midway through the launch of the app and still navigating the environment as downloads roll in, we have been excited by the results so far. 

If the benefits we’ve gone through in this post intrigue you, be sure to become a member if you aren’t one already and download the brand new Calgary Co-op App to experience the new membership benefits firsthand!