Duane Reade's Store Brands Redesign Reflects a New York State of Mind

SHARE:

Email

Print

LinkedIn

Facebook

Twitter

April 27, 2010

With more than 250 locations in New York City and the surrounding boroughs, and dominant market share, Duane Reade wanted to deepen its relationship with customers and expand its store brand positioning.

The end result was the recent launch of DR Delish, a new line of premium foods, and the repositioning of DR, the company’s health and beauty care line, and Apt. 5 household products, many of which are also offered in eco-friendly versions.

The drug chain also introduced a store brand loyalty program and now publishes Duane Reader magazine to help market and support its store branding and product development efforts. Published two times a year, the publication debuted in November 2009 and was distributed in The New York Times and The Daily News, and handed out throughout the city.

“We brought in a New York agency [CBX] that is expert with private brand image and packaging design, and understands the quintessential New York shopper,” said Joe Magnacca, chief merchandising officer of Duane Reade. “CBX helped us communicate and connect with New Yorkers through a unique product voice.”

CBX was charged with bringing to life the chain’s new positioning statement –– “New York Living Made Easy.’’ CBX and Duane Reade proceeded first to design its private label brand imagery and packaging systems, followed by a revamp of the loyalty card brand image and collateral materials.

“Our mission was to broaden Duane Reade’s private brand product appeal, enhancing its position as the preferred store for New Yorkers,” said Todd Maute, managing partner of CBX.

The entire store brand portfolio of 2,000 SKUs across four brands was completely redesigned, along with the product mix, with many of the products featuring New York-themed photography and proprietary artwork of New York City landmarks such as The Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge.

As part of the DR brand reimaging, CBX designed an 80-page Duane Reade Beauty Book to educate consumers about Duane Reade’s beauty line.

“Duane Reade’s remarkable transformation has been guided by several clear and actionable points of strategy” said Joe Jackman, acting chief marketing officer of Duane Read, which was recently acquired by Walgreens. “Easy, rewarding, and uniquely New York.”

Read These Related Articles:

• Duane Reade Debuts Green Store Brand Products
• Walgreens to Sell DR Delish Chainwide
• Duane Reade Launches DR Delish
• Packaging & Design: Elevating the Store Brands Game
• Walgreens Confirms Chilled Foods Test this Fall

Most Read

Guest Columns

Grocery Aisle Innovation Key to Retailer and Consumer Cost Savings

Retailers are redesigning the aisle, appealing to environmentally friendly consumers and capitalizing on market trends to make their private label brands more competitive.

Source: Tetra Pak Inc.

How to Develop a Private Label Expression Aligned with Retail Brand Strategy

By creating private label as a marketing tool rather than just a price alternative, retailers gain the opportunity to tell a complete brand story while simultaneously boosting customer loyalty.

Source: CBX

Using the Store Banner to Endorse Private Label Architecture

Although the economic downturn accelerated private label growth in Europe, there was another key driver -- retailers started to brand their stores.

Source: IPLC

See All Guest Columns »

Press Releases