Everyone knows Walmart as the destination to get everything from paper towels and detergent, to cookies and socks. What Canadians may not know is that as of May 2015, there is even more happening at Walmart Supercentres. Canadians can come discover another side of Walmart: great fresh food.

To share the Walmart Fresh revamp, APEX devised a multi-phased strategy with a focus on media relations as an agent to connect with the target audience. This included leveraging the credibility of a celebrity chef, a tailgate tasting party at Yonge-Dundas Square and an interactive cooking class with top tier media and influencers all in one day!

MEDIA TOUR
To let Canadians know Walmart is making quality fresh food accessible, APEX worked with celebrity Chef and current co-host and judge of Fox Network’s hit cooking competition – MasterChef Graham Elliot.

RESULT:

• Two cooking segments on Marilyn Denis featuring striploin steak and creamed spinach, as well as pan-seared salmon and Napa cabbage slaw.
• An interactive cooking lesson with Ben Mulroney on etalk featuring spiced rubbed striploin.
• A live chat with Sun Media readers and interview with national lifestyle and food editor Rita DeMontis.

TAILGATE PARTY
To showcase the quality of Walmart’s fresh food with consumers, APEX surprised and delighted Torontonians by hosting a tailgate tasting party at Yonge-Dundas Square.

RESULT:

• Over 1,000 people served
• Guest appearance by Chef Graham Elliot

INTERACTIVE COOKING CLASS
For media and influencers to fully appreciate the quality and value of Walmart’s fresh offering, it wasn’t enough to have them eat it – they needed to see and cook with it. We invited media and influencers to discover another side of Walmart through an interactive cooking event with Chef Elliot at Nella Cucina cooking school.

RESULT:

• Over 28 top tier media and influencers in attendance including: Chatelaine, Live Better, Canadian Health and Lifestyle, Best Health, HGTV, Slice, Parents Canada, Toronto Life, W Dish.

“So I was in Walmart on the weekend and thought, that steak was so good, I should get some! So, I went to the meat dept. and there was a guy there looking at steak, too. He made a comment about never having purchased beef at Walmart before. That launched me into this gushing ramble of how great it is…to a perfect stranger. Soooo…PR works!” – Amy Bielby, ParentsCanada

“I actually went to Walmart to pick up produce and chicken this past weekend. A direct reflection of attending your event.” – Nicki, ViewtheVibe.com

Need help with your event or program? See some other things we’ve done with Walmart. Then drop us a line.