Save-A-Lot (SAL) Ad Versioning

Overview

When Fresh Encounter, Inc. acquired 51 Save-A-Lot stores in 2021, more than six siloed print ad versions were running simultaneously across markets, often promoting similar Hispanic grocery items with duplicated spend and no measurable targeting advantage. Recognizing the operational inefficiency and missed performance opportunity, I conducted a full audit of weekly print executions and identified a path to streamline media investment without sacrificing local relevance. Partnering closely with merchandising leadership and the category buyer, I led the consolidation of the fragmented ads into a unified, multi-market weekly publication that preserved regional flexibility while eliminating redundancy. This restructuring freed up $93,000+ in annual print spend, which I strategically reallocated into higher-performing higher-performing channels including Google Ads, paid social, email marketing, and OTT/CTV placements. The result was a more cohesive media strategy that improved brand consistency, increased digital reach, and introduced measurable performance tracking across markets, transforming static print duplication into a scalable, data-informed growth engine.