Woolworths Rebrands; Dumps "Safeway" name

Buzz Killington · August 21, 2008, 05:24:00 PM

MORE than four decades after Safeway supermarkets first opened their doors in Victoria, its owner Woolworths has decided to scrap the name.

The stores will be rebranded as Woolworths to match their interstate counterparts, 23 years after the national supermarket giant took over and chose to use the Safeway name for all its Victorian supermarkets.

Despite the different names, Safeway and Woolworths have used the same slogan, lettering, branding and jingle.

Some of those elements are also set to change, with the company believed to be concerned that its slogan ? "The Fresh Food People" ? was overwhelming the brand name.

The company is expected to ditch the slogan, and will replace its existing logo with a peeling apple. The company refused to confirm the changes, but they are believed to have been revealed at a gathering of Woolworths supermarket staff in Brisbane.

Safeway in Australia was launched in 1963 by an American company of the same name after buying three stores owned by Frankston businessman Bill Pratt. Mr Pratt went on to become the head of the Safeway chain four years later, and wrote about about his experiences in a self-published book, My Safeway Story: Making It Happen.

Retail expert Jeff Rogut suggested the change was likely to have been prompted in part by the rapid growth of the company's private label brands and its new credit card, announced this week, both of which carry Woolworths branding.

"If they've developed some credibility in the market, I think it's a lot easier to go down that path," said Mr Rogut, executive director of the Australian Centre for Retail Studies at Monash University.

Despite the enormous cost involved in new signs and promoting the change, Mr Rogut said the move was not a risky one because of the profile that Woolworths had already established.

The company followed a similar path in Tasmania several years ago when it rebranded its Roelf Vos stores as Woolworths.

FutureBrands managing director Tim Riches said that despite the affection that some shoppers had for their supermarket, the change would ultimately be insignificant to shoppers' habits

CanberraTransport · August 21, 2008, 06:03:28 PM

It was to be expected that Woolworths would eventually change the name of the supermarket, especially after they decided to change the "Roelf Vos" name a few years ago in Tassie. But it will be an interesting change for the Victorians... who have become accustomed to the Safeway brand.

Buzz Killington · August 21, 2008, 06:19:02 PM

yeah, it was definitely expected after roelf vos and purity, but the fact that they want to dump "the fresh food people" and get a new logo is a little unexpected.

Irisbus Rider · August 21, 2008, 06:47:14 PM

Yeah, yet another new look for Woolies.

Safeway?! Ha!

Sir Pompously · August 21, 2008, 06:51:30 PM

Noooooo! Not Safeway, that was like the best name for a supermarket and like the Only Woolworths I would visit! I would think there may be abit of backlash over the name change, as Victorian's seem to love the Safeway Brand.

Buzz Killington · August 21, 2008, 06:55:18 PM

set up a facebook group or something, todd.

Quote from: Renault Rider on August 21, 2008, 06:47:14 PM
Yeah, yet another new look for Woolies.

what?

Sir Pompously · August 21, 2008, 06:58:20 PM

lol, I am sure I may get like John, and maybe Mat and that is about it

Woolies has had the same logo for years, and all they have done in the past is added on 'Bringing food to Life' underneath it.

Buzz Killington · August 21, 2008, 07:49:34 PM

exactly. their campaigns have changed over years, but the logo and "the fresh food people" have not changed (apart from that bringing food to life phase) in a good fifteen years

Irisbus Rider · August 21, 2008, 08:19:14 PM

I hate Safeway!

As for the "new look", it's generally the way their shopping centres are layed out, refurbed, painted (interior) and in their certain colours. I can recall 3 different set ups in the last 6 years or so.

Sir Pompously · August 21, 2008, 09:27:58 PM

Uh, Woolworths and Safeway are exactly the same when it comes to store layouts, refurbs, products etc etc. Except they just replace Woolworths with Safeway, like in Advertisements.

Buzz Killington · August 21, 2008, 09:38:18 PM

Quote from: Renault Rider on August 21, 2008, 08:19:14 PM
As for the "new look", it's generally the way their shopping centres are layed out, refurbed, painted (interior) and in their certain colours. I can recall 3 different set ups in the last 6 years or so.

yeah, because woolies actually pump a lot of money back into refurbs so their stores look good - as opposed to coles, of which all in canberra look disgusting apart from maybe gungahlin.

Snorzac · August 21, 2008, 09:49:08 PM

Coles in Jamo has just being refurbed and looks pretty good.

bubzie · August 21, 2008, 10:12:23 PM

it makes sence to me, it'll save them heaps in advertising and such (think about it! they have to change EVERYTHING to safeway!! now its just only one thing!)

Now, only if woolworths was actulary a good employer and actulary gave me shifts, i'd be happy!! *shakes fist in woolies general direction..*

Trolleybusracer · August 21, 2008, 10:46:27 PM

Finally!!!! even though i always called Safeway Woolies i'll miss it

Buzz Killington · August 22, 2008, 06:16:39 PM

The moment you've all been waiting for is here. GET YOUR BUCKETS READY and scroll down

Irisbus Rider · August 22, 2008, 06:28:42 PM

Thats a fucken apple peel, something you usually throw away!

Looks pretty crap IMO.

Trolleybusracer · August 22, 2008, 07:08:38 PM

Hey Bron Considering you dressed up as the easter Bunny at your Own free will.. will you promote Wollies by Walking around as a Apple

bubzie · August 22, 2008, 07:24:47 PM

oh believe me, it was not by free will!

Buzz Killington · August 22, 2008, 07:39:18 PM

lukeo25 · August 22, 2008, 08:00:20 PM

SCARY ****

Sir Pompously · August 22, 2008, 08:45:52 PM

My mum just took a look at it, and her reaction was 'oh, it looks like an apple..... gone wrong'.

Snorzac · August 22, 2008, 09:01:13 PM

They could have done a lot better.

bubzie · August 22, 2008, 10:16:45 PM

BURN IT!!! EVIL!! AHH! MY EYES ARE SOILED!!

for the love of god, if i have to wear stuff at work encrusted with that logo, i personally will burn something!! :)

bubzie · August 24, 2008, 08:19:59 PM

BAHAHAHA..

..todd and luke, care to explain your avatars?? :)

Buzz Killington · August 24, 2008, 08:42:09 PM

maybe you can explain yours, miss lovejoy???

bubzie · August 24, 2008, 09:34:13 PM

well, you see, i work there, and love it so much....

....HA!

lukeo25 · August 24, 2008, 10:07:36 PM

just a final farewell until they change the branding in woolworths in southlands and woden and the rest of 'em

bubzie · August 24, 2008, 10:46:01 PM

nooooooooo!

keep southlands the way it is!! plz???

(No, dont work there, clearly.)

lukeo25 · August 25, 2008, 12:15:56 AM

well i did work experience in yr9 and it was ****

Buzz Killington · August 26, 2008, 05:06:19 PM

i doubt they'll be in any rush to change over the signage, somehow. Big W has had it present logo for nearly a year now and none of the canberra stores have it on the outside yet.

Busnerd · August 26, 2008, 10:29:11 PM

Rockdale and Rouse hill are the only ones ive seen here with the new logo...but heaps of stores have had interior refurbs to the new layout.

Snorzac · August 30, 2008, 12:36:10 AM

It will be atleast 5 years before we see it everywhere

Busnerd · August 31, 2008, 05:16:37 PM

yes sign replacement expert

Snorzac · August 31, 2008, 05:56:41 PM

I got word from a woolies employee. the safeways will be the first to recieve the new sign starting almost imeadietly

Buzz Killington · August 31, 2008, 07:36:59 PM

Quote from: Renault PR100.3 on August 31, 2008, 05:56:41 PM
I got word from a woolies employee. the safeways will be the first to recieve the new sign starting almost imeadietly

Wrong.

Snorzac · August 31, 2008, 07:58:11 PM

it probobly is. he is the big fat butcher from kippax that i unfortunetly call my uncle who thinks he knows everthing but infact knows nothing

Irisbus Rider · August 31, 2008, 08:14:21 PM

He sells good honey.

Snorzac · August 31, 2008, 08:25:07 PM

right???

Sir Pompously · August 31, 2008, 09:04:55 PM

Either he sells good prostitutes, or he sells good condiments. You pick.

Buzz Killington · August 31, 2008, 09:11:23 PM

usually you pay double for that kind of action, Cotton

bubzie · August 31, 2008, 09:12:39 PM

the first one to be rebranded is going to be mona vale, apparently...

so, WRONG!! :)

Buzz Killington · August 31, 2008, 09:18:57 PM

i did post a link disproving his theory... where i said "Wrong"....

Snorzac · August 31, 2008, 09:21:48 PM

not my theory someone elses which i decided to post

Buzz Killington · August 31, 2008, 09:26:52 PM

same thing

Irisbus Rider · September 01, 2008, 10:03:25 PM

Honey, do doo doo doo doo, awwww sugar.

Maybe I should stop listening to 2CA

He sells good bee honey.

Sir Pompously · September 02, 2008, 05:35:39 PM

Isn't it, 'Ah Sugar, do do do do do do, ahh Honey Honey, do do do do do do. You are my candy girl, and you got me wanting you' etc etc'?

Buzz Killington · September 02, 2008, 10:29:04 PM

you two can serenade each other elsewhere, thanks.

Irisbus Rider · September 04, 2008, 12:57:35 PM

Yay!

Buzz Killington · September 21, 2009, 08:50:29 PM

bump.

as some of you may know, Woolworths Limited own Woolworths, Countdown and Foodtown Supermarkets in New Zealand. They have just announced they intend to ditch two of those brand names and unite all stores under the one name.

The one name, with the apple peel logo.

This store:

...seriously

Busnerd · September 21, 2009, 09:32:37 PM

yeh bro, lits go down to cuntdown