Dear Dahl’s Foods,
According to Hoovers.com, you had over $173 million in sales and you employed over 1600 people in 2008. You’re an important part of the Des Moines community. You have a storied history dating back to 1931, yet somehow you have mismanaged the store. Let me be very clear in my criticism. I want you to succeed. More importantly, the Des Moines community needs you to succeed.
Here are some things you need to address ASAP to fix your highly damaged brand.
Your Web site is a disaster. Go take a look at this thing. And I ask you to take a look, Dahl’s, because you probably haven’t been there in the last ten years. Wait a minute, I take that back. Someone has been there documenting the new “IngerDahl’s” construction project with this gem of a layout. Gotta love the 1998 web tools being used for this. This is so off brand it makes me wonder if a Dahl’s executive has a nephew that likes to play with computers.
A person could spend hours ripping this site a new one, so I’ll spare you the agony. Plus, you guys don’t even own your natural URL. Check out this beauty! http://www.dahls.com/ (This site sometimes doesn’t load, but when it does you get a picture of some guy trying to hit on some gal at a bar with these exact words and spelling: “Harry’s favorite passtime: Picking up cute blonds at bars.”) I’m pretty sure this guy would take $500 for his URL. Maybe he could buy some new pick up lines. I digress.
Your stores are inconsistent. Every store is either the Beverly Hills of grocery stores (50th/E.P. True and Clive/Hickman locations) or some third world country looking market. How do you have the nerve to continue to make people shop in your Fleur Drive and Grand Avenue locations? Memo: Clean the floors! Yes, the construction of the new IngerDahl’s (Dahl’s on Ingersoll Avenue) is an improvement, but when it comes to the grocery store experience, the folks at Hy-Vee are throwing their entire produce section at you.
When it comes to grocery stores in the Des Moines area, you have five choices:
Hy-Vee - They get me in there with reasonable prices and a great customer experience. Clean stores, friendly staff. These guys are even open on holidays, which sucks for the employees but rocks for the consumer. Their Web site even offers things like “weekly ads” and “recipes.” I guess I’ll go with the “helpful smile in every aisle” approach.
Walmart - Walmart haters aside, a full cart at Walmart saves me about $75 vs. a full cart at Hy-Vee. They get me in there when I need to “load up.” And, their Web site is useful.
Fareway - Sure, their stores are dank and the selection is mediocre but when people mention Fareway, you always hear, “They have a great meat department.” Plus, like Republican candidates, Fareway gets the “Christian vote” who respect their “Closed on Sunday” policy. Imagine if Dahl’s closed on Sundays? You guys would never hear the end of it. And it looks like someone actually cares about their Web site. There’s no way Fareway should be doing a better job than Dahl’s online.
Aldi – And when you want to talk economics – add ALDI to your list. Four Des Moines locations and three words: CHEAP, CHEAP, CHEAP! Clean stores, consistent products, small selection, but the American staples are there. They are also the “greenest” grocer in town. You can re-use their boxes, bring your own bags or pay $.10 for a bag. They even have a quarter deposit on carts to reduce the risk of cars getting hit in the parking lot.
Dahl’s – Your claims to fame are high prices and dirty stores. Sad, but true. Clean up on Aisle Six!
I hope you realize that consumers have a choice these days. We don’t go to the closest store any more. I will actually drive past a Dahl’s to go to a HyVee. So who exactly is shopping at Dahl’s? People that take pride in spending an extra $1.50 for a gallon of milk? People that don’t own a car? Tragic.
And I’m not alone in my thinking. I took an unscientific survey on Facebook and Twitter with about 30 responses to the question, “Dahl’s or Hy-Vee?” The results can be summed up by one guy who wrote, “Hy-Vee, and its not even close.”
Where is Dahl’s social media presence? There’s nothing official on Twitter or Facebook. Shoot, you could simply put your television spots on YouTube if you wanted. Maybe your nephew could do it. You need to be involved in social media so you can combat people that say, “Definitely Hy-Vee. Dahl’s lighting is darker and we think it’s to hide all the dirt and rats.” Yikes.
Dahl’s, let’s face it, your brand is in decline. It’s time for you to get your act together because the 1600 people that work for you are counting on you for growth, not decline. They are counting on you for employment, not pink slips. And as an agency with a 102 year history in Des Moines, we tend to root for companies like yours.
I bet W.T. Dahl would be disturbed if he could see his baby today. Make him proud Dahl’s! Or at the very least, fix your Web site.
Regards,
Ad Mavericks
P.S.
Hat tip to the PR Princess for this idea.
Author: Josh Fleming
Note: Tom Flynn III, the normal author of this weekly post is on vacation this week.
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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
You guys must not shop at Dahl’s, because I easily pay $30 less a week shopping there than I do at Hy Vee. And dirty? Have you been in a Hy Vee lately?
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