MAJOR CREATIVE AND MARKETING SHIFT FOR RETAIL GIANT
CBC Media, working hand in hand with P.C. Richard’s marketing department, has just completed a television commercial campaign that represents a major creative and marketing shift for the retail giant.

P.C. Richard & Son is one of the tri-state’s largest and most respected appliance, electronics and computer retail chains, with 47 Superstores located throughout Long Island, New York City, Westchester and New Jersey. CBC Media has had an 11 year relationship with the retailer.

Past campaigns focused mostly on holiday sales and price and item advertising, whereas this new series was designed to educate the consumer about the many services P.C. Richard & Son provides. The series of ads have the unifying theme “P.C. Richard & Son, There IS A DIFFERENCE.”

Those differences include a friendly, knowledgeable sales team who understand every product and want to build lasting relationships with customers based on trust, their own service center where the electronics products they sell can be serviced, their own fleet of trucks to guarantee next day delivery and their own 650,000 square foot warehouse facility to help keep all stores fully stocked at all times.

“This entire campaign was a bold new step in P.C. Richard’s advertising approach, “ says Madj Ebadi, President of CBC Media and director of the campaign. “Rather than just sell items on price alone, we wanted the consumer to understand that customer satisfaction on every level is the major reason why a company of P.C. Richard’s size and status has maintained over nine decades of success and growth. These ads will educate the public about what makes P.C. Richard tick.”

Shot entirely on HD, both on location and on sets constructed at CBC’s 8,000 square foot studio facility, Studio 57, in Islandia, New York, the campaign used three different approaches:

The first was a series of commercials that used a “slice of life” approach, with happy customers relating their positive shopping experiences when purchasing kitchen appliances, washers and dryers, cameras and camcorders, home theaters and home office equipment. An ad was also designed to highlight why consumers can trust P.C. Richard & Son.

The second series used popular stand-up comedians telling jokes about their bad experiences at local retail stores and warehouse chains, interspersed with positive statements about P.C. Richard & Son and the reasons that make them different from anyone else.

The last two spots in the series were educational in nature, visually highlighting the reasons why P.C. Richard has had success and brought customers 100% satisfaction for over 94 years. Scenes included highlights of the various departments and products, the giant warehouse facility, the fleet of delivery trucks and the service center.

The ads began airing the last week of September 2003 on New York City regional and cable television stations, and will continue to run for the next several months.