Zona Sul is a large Brazilian supermarket chain with its base in Rio de Janeiro. Like so many supermarkets throughout the world, its customers are demanding healthier food and their focus is on fresh, sustainable and local products.

You simply cannot get fresher than still growing. So WMcCann Brasil installed a vegetable garden in a Zona Sul supermarket in Rio de Janeiro.

Consumers were invited to pick their own vegetables directly from the earth. Among the offering were salad greens, basil, chilli peppers and scallion. The agency placed small signs among the shelves that highlighted the idea – “When serving it at home you may proudly say: I picked it up,” or, “We plant and take care. You only need to pick it up.”

“It’s a simple and innovative solution that helps us promote how engaged we are with sustainable practices while making the consumer gain awareness of the benefits of a fresh and healthy food diet,” commented  Pietrangelo Leta, commercial director of Zona Sul.

And the idea has done its job well. Firstly, it was spread throughout Brazil by social and news media. Secondly, during the weeks after the garden was installed, Zona Sul’s vegetable section achieved a 30% increase in customer preference and  vegetable sales increased by 18%. The agency now plans to extend the idea to other stores.

Credits:

Agency: WMcCann

Chief creative officer: Washington Olivetto

Creative vice president: Guime Davidson

Creative directors: Fábio Onofre & Nicolás Romanó

Creatives: Gabriel Gil & Bruno Mukai

Account service: Gabriela Arroyo, Suzana Machado, Isabela Fogaça & Gustavo Tupinambá

Production vice president: Marcelo Hack

Graphic production: Reginaldo Barbosa

Designer: Bruno Mukai

Project manager: Karina Rios

Client: Zona Sul

Client approval: Alexandre Alves