Co-op is ready to embrace the unpredictability of British summer and help customers do the same. They’re asking Facebook fans to help co-create new dishes by suggesting their ‘secret ingredients’. A selection of these unique meals will then be shared across dozens of city centres, events and festivals, delivering their delicious dishes to over a million people.
To help invigorate office lunches and feed festival-goers, the brand has enlisted the help of experiential agency iD to bring Co-op’s Unpredictable Summer Menu to the UK’s major city centres, festivals and cultural events. Dishes will be served from a branded Co-op Airstream, and there’ll be roving Piaggio scooters packed with On-the-Go samples.
We know that Co-op customers live busy lives, but love variety and the opportunity to try something new.
Delicious lunchtime dishes courtesy of @TheCooperative #unpredictablesummer pic.twitter.com/jC8bP3GL59
— iD (@iDExperiential) June 22, 2016
Therefore, as commuters head home, Brand Ambassadors will be there to greet them with recipe boxes containing all the ingredients necessary to help keep dinner unpredictable too.
As part of Co-op’s summer campaign, they will be raising money for the British Red Cross by encouraging consumers who enjoyed their taster to ‘pay it forward’ by donating £1.
All money raised will contribute to an innovative partnership between Co-op and British Red Cross, launched in October 2015, to highlight and tackle loneliness and social isolation in communities across the UK. Loneliness is an issue which Co-op members have chosen as being relevant to their communities, with 1 in 7 customers and members stating that they regularly feel lonely, and 1 in 3 that they know someone in their family and community who is lonely.
Jemima Bird, customer director at Co-op said: “There’s no denying that the Great British Summer is unpredictable and this campaign works to encourage the nation to try something new and allow their dinner to be unpredictable too. The pay it forward donation really shows our commitment to our chosen charity and allows consumers to give something back to their community”
“With a convenience store in every postal area and a fantastic range of own brand food and drink, we aim to show customers that the leading convenience retailer has everything covered in its stores, even when a spontaneous opportunity presents itself.”
Mike Adamson, British Red Cross Chief Executive said: “From the independent living services we deliver at British Red Cross, we know that loneliness is an increasing but under-recognised crisis that is affecting people across the UK, shortening lives and eroding health and wellbeing. Thanks to the Co-op’s amazing fundraising efforts, we will be able to provide vital care and support to help thousands more isolated and lonely people reconnect with their communities.”
Co-op Unpredictable Summer Menu dates:
- 23 June – 17 July Media takeover Liverpool Street, London
- 7 July NUS Event, Liverpool
- 8-10 July NASS Skateboarding/BMX Festival, Somerset
- 13-15 July Leeds city centre
- 19-21 July Liverpool city centre
- 22-24 July Manchester Picnic
- 23rd-25 July Upfest Street Art Festival, Bristol
- 27-29 July Nottingham city centre
- 29-31 July Lee Fest, Kent
- 3-5 Aug Edinburgh city centre
- 4-7 Aug Countryfile Live
- 10-12 Aug Newcastle city centre
- 10-12 Aug Manchester city centre
- 17-19 Aug Glasgow city centre
- 17-19 Aug York city centre
- 31 Aug – 2 Sept Reading city centre
- 31 Aug – 2 Sept Sheffield city centre