Zubi Advertising

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I worked with Zubi Advertising during my tenure as the SVP of marketing and advertising for Winn-Dixie. Their CEO hired me in part to launch its first reward card since I was considered a guru for loyalty programs in my field. My position had been vacant for over a year before I joined in 2001.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Zubi Advertising?

For many years before I was hired, Zubi Advertising had been Winn-Dixie’s agency of record for Hispanic market outreach. The company was struggling with fragmented functional roles and inadequate communication between the general and Hispanic markets. Having lived between the East Coast and Midwest, I had little background in marketing to the Hispanic community. Having an experienced and knowledgeable team like Zubi in place was critical for my onboarding process.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

As a full-service agency, Zubi supported virtually every type of advertising since the start of the Winn-Dixie partnership. They consistently provided market planning, strategy, media buying, and creative content. The only notable exception is public relations, for which Winn-Dixie hired a separate, specialized vendor. Along with traditional media, they even provided digital marketing during the emergence of online marketing strategies. At that point, social platforms like Facebook didn’t even exist yet. We advertised on the limited available social media as an ancillary service to our main targeted marketing strategy.

Concerning my role there, Zubi supported Winn-Dixie’s first loyalty card program. I spearheaded this campaign, which enabled us to start using database marketing. The team designed solid creative content for direct mailings and targeted email campaigns. As both our company and modern technology evolved, Zubi closely collaborated with us in all our strategic discussions.

Zubi also stepped up when our company faced internal challenges that made it difficult to pay our vendors. Despite these challenges, we never lost a single media buy, incurred penalties, or had to pay for media in advance during that entire time. They kept us operating under business as usual despite this crisis. Their performance under this duress was extraordinary. Unlike the vast majority of comparable private sector agencies, Zubi was loyal, committed, and fought hard to save our company from revenue loss. This differentiating factor speaks volumes about their dedication to clients, even in the most challenging situations.

What is the team composition?

For significant campaigns, Zubi provided management resources at several levels. I mostly worked with former co-owners Michelle (CAO) and Joe (COO), who’s a great guy. Even though he was less involved in our account, he’d be there in a heartbeat whenever we needed help.

Michelle became one of my go-to resources over the years. She’s one of my most trusted external confidants. After we went through the bankruptcy, she and the CEO of the general market agency became part of our senior strategic team that included our internal CEO and several key executives.

How did you come to work with Zubi Advertising?

Zubi Advertising had a pre-existing relationship with Winn Dixie when I was hired.

How much have you invested with them?

Winn-Dixie spent well over $10 million on fees and retainers for their work with Zubi Advertising.

What is the status of this engagement?

Winn-Dixie began working with them during the early 1980s, so this partnership started before I came onboard. We were Zubi Advertising’s second client ever. The two teams parted ways after I left in 2011. It was a long run for an agency relationship.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Throughout this long-term partnership, Zubi produced terrific creative assets, especially for television. We won many awards, not only in the supermarket industry awards area but also Audience Based Buying Innovation (ABBI) and others. They’re a fantastically creative team who does an all-around great job.

The multifaceted designers seamlessly adapted their production strategy to fit specific contextual needs. For example, the team’s great sense of humor could make for entertaining content. Conversely, they always know when to use a more serious tone. Another central area of their expertise was creating clean assets for retail sales.

When I asked them to diversify our offerings, they produced a virtually silent 30-second ad spot with just a single tagline at the end. Based on its sharp visuals, dynamic movement, and upbeat soundtrack, it’s still one of my favorite assets Zubi created. This notably strong commercial won several awards. Many suppliers? vendors? even requested product placement in many versions we aired.

How did Zubi Advertising perform from a project management standpoint?

Zubi Advertising’s excellent, detail-oriented management kept us on track with deadlines. Their efficiency exemplified my number one requirement out of the list of ten guidelines I give every contractor or new hire, which is “be on time.” I appreciated that they provided regular reports to prevent unpleasant surprises. Using this method pre-empted potential issues going forward.

They were forthright, transparent, and adhered to the budget. The team’s thorough understanding of our financial constraints yielded the best decisions for TV, radio, and new media buys. Bidding production out to multiple vendors helped us maximize ROI.

Winn-Dixie’s board and former CEO assigned three general market agencies between 2001–2004. Under new management and facing bankruptcy in 2005, I got permission to select a new one. Zubi fostered a healthy relationship with this new vendor. Michelle was even a member of the renewed team for this search, and her opinion informed my hiring decision. Giving her this role is demonstrative of our deep respect for Zubi Advertising. We deeply valued their advice and perspective.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Winn-Dixie instated a series of town hall meetings to analyze business state-by-state and update store directors and management about plans at the corporate level. Having the executive leadership hold on-site discussion was an effective internal strategy. Even though I was entirely new to Hispanic marketing, Zubi Advertising understood that I sincerely wanted their help and was willing to listen. We had a straightforward and open relationship. They offered great advice without any ulterior motives.

I noticed, however, that we only had English language speakers for the meetings in Miami. When I told Michelle about this observation, I suggested that a management teammate should give a speech in Spanish. She laughed and asked if I would be the one who would. I told her that Spanish wasn’t one of the four languages I spoke. When she asked if I’d be willing to learn it, I enrolled in an adult continuing education course to learn the basics.

After I wrote my presentation, she seemed doubtful that I could deliver it all live in Spanish. We decided to limit that to first 4-5 minutes and then switch back to English. She coached me over the phone to guide my pronunciation, even when she could tell I was struggling. When the time came, I gave the speech successfully, which was mainly due to her patient training and support. The audience was very impressed. They seemed to appreciate the effort I’d made to connect with our Spanish-speaking community.

Are there any areas they could improve?

They did an outstanding job, and I’d be hard-pressed to say that they disappointed us in any respect. I’m proud to have worked with Zubi Advertising and would hire them again in a heartbeat. It was a marvelous relationship, and I have strong positive feelings about the whole experience.

Having Zubi as a source of ideas and support made for a terrific partnership during a challenging time. We’ve stayed in touch since our project ended. Many of their employees have left over the years, but I remember them very fondly.