Over the last several years, The Source has sought to redefine itself as one of the go-to places for major tech, electronics, audio and gaming brands. The retailer is hoping to reinforce that positioning through its latest holiday campaign.
The main 30-second TV spot begins with Santa on a beach, catching some rays while on a tropical vacation. His dream-like travels come to an end when he is interrupted by a Source employee, Kyle. Santa, it seems, had been whisked away while testing out some VR gear in the store. The interruption allows Santa to continue shopping; meanwhile, Kyle is rewarded for his customer service with the promise of being added to old St. Nick’s “nice” list.
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The campaign debuted on Nov. 15 and includes TV, pre-roll, social and radio spots by Juniper Park\TBWA, with PHD handling media planning and buying. The Source is also leaning in to influencer marketing this year, partnering with the winners of The Amazing Race Canada and Amanda Forrest (a designer and expert on The Marilyn Denis Show) in an attempt to reach a younger demographic. The influencers will be reviewing and demoing products sold at the store as part of the campaign.
This year, the company’s annual holiday effort brings together its “I Want That” tagline (which it has been leveraging since 2012) with its recently debuted “We Know” platform.
“I Want That” represents the “aspirational drive of the categories that we want to play in,” says Ron Craig, the company’s VP marketing and business development, comparing The Source to an adult toy store or candy shop in which people are excited to encounter new tech products and consumer electronics. The “We Know” element, on the other hand, aims to position The Source as a retailer offering top brands and one-to-one service to its customers.
The Source has undergone a major transformation in recent years, as it has sought to shed its RadioShack roots. It has so far redesigned the layout of 200 locations in an effort to improve customer experience and has revamped its website. During its transformation, the “I Want That” tagline has come to punctuate everything it does and to guide its messaging across product launches, category expansions and its promise of a guided service experience. As such, Craig doesn’t expect the tagline to disappear anytime soon.
Although roughly 60% of consumers begin their journey online, Craig says, “There are a number of categories where people are still looking for guidance and experience, one-to-one help to make the right choice; they want to touch the product. So that’s what we’re leaning into.”
Through the year, The Source has been introducing brand campaigns to support its marquee categories, starting with the sound and connected home technology categories. It has also started rolling out Black Friday-specific ads ahead of the Nov. 24 shopping event.
