Picture this: You’re 51 kilometers deep into an ultramarathon through the misty, muscle-melting wilderness of New Zealand’s Kepler Track.
You’ve been running for hours. Your water’s low. Your socks are soaked. You’re starting to question every life decision that led to this moment.
Suddenly, like a shimmering oasis in a sea of dirt and doubt, you see it: A full-blown supermarket aisle, standing there like it’s always belonged in the middle of nowhere!
Wait a minute. You wonder…
Is it exhaustion?
Are you hallucinating?
Maybe the mountain air has gotten to you?
You blink. Nope, the supermarket aisle is still there.
Then it clicked: It was marketing. Really, really good marketing.
An Old Trail with a New Grocery Twist
What do you get when you mix one of the world’s toughest trail races with a neighborhood supermarket chain looking to do something different?
You get the “Aid Aisle”—a guerrilla marketing masterstroke by supermarket company FreshChoice and creative marketing agency Dentsu Aotearoa!
Photo from Dentsu
For eight years, FreshChoice had supported the Kepler Challenge, the premier mountain running event in New Zealand, but in typical sponsor fashion—logos, banners, maybe some branded water bottles.
However, in 2023, the company flipped the script to bring its new platform, “That’s Shopping Different,” to life.
How did the company do it?
Instead of slapping FreshChoice’s name on a banner, the campaign team created something that actually helped people.
At the 50-kilometer mark of the trail—right when runners’ spirits hit rock bottom—the campaign team set up an actual supermarket aisle, stocked to the brim with all the stuff a weary runner might dream of:
- Electrolytes
- Energy bars
- Blister packs
- Deodorant (yes, really)
- Bananas
- Cooling spray
- Dry socks
Photo from Dentsu
Woah, how awesome was that?
Clearly, this wasn’t just a pit stop; it was also a lifeline!
What’s more?
This wasn’t just a one-day pop-up made with a few cardboard signs.
The supermarket aisle took effort.
Everything had to be carried in—on foot. That’s nearly three kilometers of hauling metal shelves, signage, and products into rugged terrain!
… and let’s be clear: This wasn’t a paved sidewalk stroll. It was bushy, it was dirty, and it was steep. Just imagine how tough that was for the campaign team too! It was almost as if they were participating in the Kepler Challenge as well.
Additionally, to preserve the environment, nothing touched the ground directly.
Shelves were elevated.
Signs were recyclable.
Everything was designed to disappear without a trace once the race was done.
Sure, some might have thought it was a logistical nightmare… but more than that, it was also a creative dream.
The Emotional Hook
The spectacle was cool but it wasn’t just about flashy stunts; it was about humanity.
At its core, the campaign leaned into empathy. It understood pain points LITERALLY. Moreover, it delivered something no logo-covered t-shirt ever could: Relief.
One runner summed it up best: “I thought I was hallucinating.”
Another called it “an actual godsend.”
Isn’t that what the best marketing does—show up right when you need it, without even asking?
… and because of that:
- Over 90% of the 450 runners used something from the Aid Aisle. That’s not just a high engagement rate—that’s essential.
- The campaign garnered 80+ pieces of media coverage globally, from local press to global marketing showcases.
- The campaign bagged major awards at the 2023 Cannes Lions Awards: Silver in the Outdoor category, and Bronze in the Social & Influencer category.
Oh, and the brand love?
Off. The. Charts.
FreshChoice wasn’t just a supermarket anymore; it also became a brand that “really gets it.” The one that shows up. The one that goes the extra three kilometers on foot to help runners through the hardest part of their journey (literally and metaphorically).
The campaign even sparked conversations in the advertising world about redefining what sponsorship should look like—less about eyeballs, more about impact.
Clearly, this campaign didn’t feel like marketing.
Instead, it felt like someone saw the runners struggling and said, “Here. We brought snacks.”
It blurred the line between sponsorship and support, turning what’s often passive brand exposure into an active, deeply appreciated experience… and in doing so, the Aid Aisle raised the bar for everyone else.
—
FreshChoice’s campaign reminds us that great marketing doesn’t need to be loud, flashy, or invasive. It just needs to be thoughtful.
When brands stop asking, “How do we get seen?” and start asking, “How can we serve?” magic happens.
The campaign team didn’t just “think outside the box.” They carried that box up a mountain, turned it into an aisle, and filled it with kindness.
And for the brand and its target market, that’s what “shopping different” really looks like.
Are you ready to also do something different for your brand’s marketing?
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Fridays: Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing”
Jay Conrad Levinson (1984) said that Guerrilla Marketing “works because it’s simple to appreciate, easy to execute, and inexpensive.”
Guerrilla Marketing is unconventional.
Looking beyond the traditional ways of advertising, marketers and advertisers need to spice things up in order for their brand to have campaigns that not only make an impact but also stick to their target market’s mind.
Guerrilla Marketing usually aims to have direct contact with consumers.
This type of direct contact should spark an emotional reaction that leads to consumers effectively remembering the brand.
It’s about making a big impression and making that impression last a long time (if not forever).
Guerrilla Marketing can be inexpensive.
The effect of this is being able to create a buzz around the brand, and the strategy used to market it. Almost everything is passed around through word-of-mouth.
Word-of-mouth is one of the greatest outcomes and it usually doesn’t cost anything.
This is every business’ or brand’s dream!
Every Friday, we publish tips, examples, and other useful content on unconventional ways of marketing and promotion.
Learn more about how to grab your target market’s attention and make an amazing first and lasting impression without having to spend a lot of money.
Businesses don’t really need to spend much for a guerrilla campaign. You do not need a big budget to be successful. You just need creativity and a good imagination.
Hope you find this week’s guerrilla marketing insight interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Friday’s “Gorillas of Guerrilla Marketing!”
Cheers,
Dyane Diasanta
Senior Content Writer
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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