ASDA
Monday May 5th, 2008
London, United Kingdom
A ‘first’ for a UK retailer
ASDA using broadcast TV to reach out to its stakeholders
ASDA, has teamed up with Information TV to broadcast its own programme, called People, Prices, Planet, to everyone with access to Sky Digital. The documentary style programme will be broadcast daily from Tuesday May 6th on Information TV, Sky Digital channel 167 at 21.00hrs Monday to Saturday and on Sundays at 18.30hrs. ASDA is taking advantage of Information TV’s innovative business model that allows organisations to broadcast their own programmes on digital television to enhance the effectiveness of their communications.
With the UK retail sector under continuing scrutiny, ASDA has taken the initiative by inviting its audience and its critics to watch, learn from and act upon its message, in the form of a broadcast television programme, distributed on Information TV.
The programme provides ASDA with an opportunity for direct, unmediated communications and looks behind the scenes at the company’s operations. It focuses on sustainable sourcing, streamlined distribution and efforts to reduce waste and packaging.
By adopting Information TV’s innovative approach to broadcasting, ASDA is funding the broadcast of its own self-promotional programme. Using internal and external communications, it is inviting its target audiences, including opinion formers and its own employees, to make an ‘appointment to view’ this and, by scheduling the programme frequently at set times, the audiences will have ample opportunity to do so.
The company is looking to engage interested viewers and will encourage them to ‘take action’ by visiting the newly re-launched company website and to post their feedback, comments and opinions via email.
Paul Kelly, corporate affairs director at ASDA said: “We believe it’s important to tell people what we’re doing to reduce waste, cut packaging and source our products in a more sustainable way.
“But unlike some of our competitors who choose to spend millions of pounds advertising their green credentials, our customers prefer us to invest that money in lowering prices. That’s why using this medium to get the message out is so effective.
“I’m sure some will accuse us of broadcasting propaganda, but if those same people bother to watch the programme and in the process learn a little more about how we do business then it will have done its job.
"The programme gives an honest and open insight into how we're cutting waste, reducing packaging and sourcing products in a way that makes sustainability more accessible and affordable to shoppers, regardless of their budget."
Fred Perkins, CEO for Information TV stated ‘We are delighted to be working with ASDA in what is a ‘first’ for both our companies. Through this programme ASDA is allowing an invited audience, of interested and willing viewers to take stock of what the company is doing to address issues such as sustainability, while continuing to offer good value to its customers and a fair deal for its suppliers. Television messages have the most impact and highest recall of all media, so we are excited that ASDA is taking advantage of what Information TV provides to accomplish this.
The ASDA sponsored programme, People, Prices, Planet will be broadcast for three weeks on Information TV, Sky Digital channel 167, from May 6th at 21.00hrs Mon-Sat and at 18.30hrs on Sundays. As a Free-to-Air channel, Information TV can be accessed by anyone in the 9m UK households with a Sky Digital subscription or a Sky Freesat service. The programmes will also be available online, at the same times, as a simulcast video stream at www.information.tv .
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