Market Wise

While Israel celebrates its 60th anniversary, the Supersol chain of supermarkets is celebrating its 50th birthday.

By GREER FAY CASHMAN
supersol 88 224 (photo credit: Courtesy )
supersol 88 224
(photo credit: Courtesy )
IS THE Sakal Group taking over Herzliya? The question is quite valid given the number of stores that Sakal operates in the Herzliya area. Until recently, Sakal, which imports, markets and operates franchises for leading international brands, maintained 21 stores in Herzliya, and has just added three more flagship stores: Timberland, Keds and Nautica at an investment of NIS 2 million. The three new stores are located in the Seven Stars mall along with Nine West and Emporium which are also under the Sakal umbrella. Among the other sports and footwear brands imported by Sakal are Reebok, Easy Spirit, Bebe, Ralph Lauren, Polo, Polo Jeans, Kenneth Cole, DKNY, Guess Footwear, Nike, Tommy Hilfiger and others. AHAVA, ESSENTIAL Dead Sea Treatment has mounted a $100,000 campaign on Channel Two to promote its Dermud series intended for dry and sensitive skin. The series includes hand cream, foot cream, facial cleanser, body milk, facial nourishing cream, facial moisturizer, moisturizing shower cream and body cream. The Ahava products are extremely popular abroad and a sought-after purchase by tourists. THERE'S AN old Hebrew saying that advises "Don't look at the teapot, but at what it contains." That doesn't fly in the advertising and marketing world where presentation is the name of the game. XL has launched a $1m. campaign to familiarize the public with the new container for its energy drink. The campaign slogan "The night is longer with XL" is meant to emphasize the fact that the new can is taller than the old one, but the wording doesn't quite convey that message. Still the correct message may be understood by the target audience of young people and night owls who like to go clubbing. The campaign includes television, billboards and print media. WINTER HAS barely surfaced and already in fashion circles they're talking about marketing campaigns for summer. In this context, actor Zohar Liba, 31, has signed up for another season as the presenter for ml men. The campaign, for which Liba will receive $60,000, will be launched in March, 2008. It will be screened on Channels 2 and 10 and on the music channel. There will also be posters and advertisements on billboards and in the print media. Liba is currently appearing in two television series: "The Dolls" and "The Island." He previously played in "It's all honey." He has appeared in several television and film productions. PART OF the success of the 9,000,000 insurances campaigns has been the fact that all the television commercials have some kind of a story line to capture the interest of the viewer, as prize winning actor Moshe Ivgy, playing the character of David Achi Tov, embarks on a new adventure. In the new series of commercials, Ivygy will be joined by television sportscaster Miri Nevo, who has signed a one-year contract for $50,000. In the series Ivgy plays a soccer coach and Nevo plays a sports writer, which means that she more or less plays herself. Nice work if you can get it. ROYAL COSMETICS, which produces and imports private label cosmetics and make-up for a number of leading brands, intends to broaden its base and will invest more than NIS 1m. towards its target of reaching 100 new sales points in 2008. According to Erez Mor, Vice President Marketing and Sales, Royal Cosmetics currently produces make-up and cosmetics for 15 companies and beauty schools and is aiming to increase the number to 30. FASHION HOUSES have long been spreading their wings to incorporate accessories and other merchandise under their brand names. Renuar Men has joined the party and has included a user friendly digital watch priced at NIS 299 in its range of accessories. THERE ARE many ways in which to combine philanthropy with business interests. Restaurateur Reena Pushkarna has decided to celebrate the birthdays and show appreciation to members of the Israel Defense Forces who have become disabled in the line of duty, while simultaneously promoting her Tandoori chain of restaurants. All disabled soldiers who can produce documentation from the IDF to confirm their disability, can call any branch of the chain and get a free birthday dinner. This could easily lead to thousands of give-aways during the year, but since few people celebrate their birthdays alone, the recipients of the birthday meals would in all probability bring at least one paying guest with them, and if this was their introduction to Tandoori and they found Indian cuisine to be agreeable to their palates, there would be a strong chance of them returning. Pushkarna, who has an extremely generous nature both inside and outside her business framework, would be happy to provide the birthday ambience, even if nothing more eventuated. GENERALLY SPEAKING, the Rubinstein real estate development company uses actress and comedian Rivka Michaeli to promote its facilities. But when the company built one of its most recent prestige projects for retirees, it took advantage of the potential of using a new, equally well-known and attractive figure as a marketing tool - and they didn't have to pay her. Knesset Speaker Dalia Itzik has been used to having Friday night family meals with her in-laws. That didn't change when they moved to Ahuzat Beit Hakerem opposite Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem and adjacent to a shopping mall that includes several food outlets which provide a variety of eating options in addition to those of the dining facilities within Ahuzat Beit Hakerem. Built at an investment of NIS 450m., Ahuzat Beit Hakerem includes 350 apartments, a swimming pool, sauna, Jacuzzi, exercise room, work-out gymnasium, and conference rooms for meetings and hobbies. WHILE ISRAEL celebrates its 60th anniversary, the Supersol chain of supermarkets is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a wide range of specials in its branches across the country. Throughout the year, it will also utilize its 50th anniversary logo, a clever piece of art work based on the last syllable of its name which in Hebrew is pronounced "sal" which means basket. The two Hebrew letters samech and lamed have been designed in such a fashion that reading left to right instead of right to left, they look like 50. Supersol was the first supermarket chain in Israel, opening at a time when imported food products were rare and when local products were far fewer in variety than they are today. It paved the way for new norms in shopping for family groceries. CROCKER IS expanding and opening new stores in addition to upgrading existing stores. The chain has invested $1.5m. in the establishment of five new stores in addition to its 29 stores already operating across the country. An additional $1.2m. is being invested into turning ten of these stores into Crocker concept stores in line with the company's new policy. The five new stores have been opened in malls in Kiryat Ono, Beersheba, Modiin, Ashdod and Jerusalem. NOTWITHSTANDING THE controversy he caused when speaking out against army service, singer Jacko Eisenberg remains high on the popularity charts, in addition to which Wrangler signed him up to be one of the presenters of their collection. CLAL HEALTH Insurance and the Health Channel (19 on YES and 43 on HOT) have entered into a joint venture whereby anyone who purchases one of the three new health insurance packages offered by Clal will receive as a gift one year's subscription to the Health Channel. The marketing campaign is being conducted with an investment of $250,000.