Success Story Category: Grocery Store

OMA Gold Award

We partnered with Talking Rain to create a modular, visually striking promotional display structure that captivated the attention of new shoppers and evoked a sense of familiarity with current consumers that are loyal to the brand.

Program Objective

The challenge was to design a modular, eye-catching temporary display structure that could seamlessly adapt to showcase multiple SKUs across various retail environments during the bustling holiday season.

To achieve this, the display had to strike the perfect balance between versatility and visual appeal. The modular design allowed for easy customization, ensuring it could fit diverse retail footprints while maintaining brand consistency. Bold holiday-themed graphics, vibrant colors, and creative structural elements were incorporated to create a sense of festivity and excitement that would draw in shoppers during one of the most competitive shopping seasons of the year.

The Work

The holiday season is an incredibly competitive time in retail, with Christmas trees being one of the most common and overused display themes. While trees are undeniably festive, the goal was to create something that stood out—something undeniably Christmas-themed, yet fresh and innovative. We wanted to design a display that not only resonated with our existing Sparkling Ice consumers but also appealed to our target demographic.

The concept of a fireplace emerged as the perfect solution. A fireplace evokes a sense of warmth, tradition, and family gatherings—values closely associated with the holidays. Its versatility also makes it ideal for in-store execution. Unlike traditional bulky displays, this structure is modular and space-efficient, meaning it can fit seamlessly into end caps or other high-traffic areas. It’s adaptable enough to scale up or down, depending on the store's needs, by incorporating as many pallets as required.

Additionally, the fireplace design allowed for the integration of a TV display, elevating the experience by supporting and highlighting key elements of our sweepstakes campaign. This created a multi-sensory experience for shoppers, blending visual appeal with promotional messaging. The result is a display that not only captures the holiday spirit but also maximizes in-store impact, making it a standout piece in a competitive retail environment.

The Results

We successfully secured placement for an impressive total of 572 fireplace displays across Kroger and Safeway stores during the holiday season. Each fireplace setup was strategically paired with at least one pallet of product, ensuring strong visibility and driving additional seasonal volume.

This achievement highlights the effectiveness of the display's design, which resonated with retailers as both visually appealing and functional within their store layouts. By capitalizing on the modular and scalable nature of the fireplace display, we were able to optimize in-store space while creating a compelling holiday presence for the brand. The added product volume per display not only boosted seasonal sales but also reinforced our brand's prominence during one of the most competitive times of the year.

This success demonstrates the combined power of innovative design and strategic retail partnerships in achieving impactful results.

If you want your display to drive sales and tell a story, get in touch with us today! [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.greatnortherninstore.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/10g-Gold-Final-Sparkling-Ice-wMusic.mp4"][/video]   View More Success Stories

OMA Silver Award

We partnered with Mountain Dew to create an eye-catching, bold display to capture the brand's "Ride the Baja Wave" promotional message.

Program Objective

The goal was to create an engaging, easy-to-execute temporary, pallet spanner activation for placement in grocery and mass store environments to merchandise 12 oz. can fridge packs of Mountain Dew Baja Blast. Additionally, there was a second goal to create a visually disruptive structure that reinforced the call to action and stood out from traditional spanner structures.

The Work

The display structure was designed with a required 2-month lifespan at retail, leading to the use of temporary substrates. To maximize visual appeal and impact, all corrugate components were litho mounted, while the curved wave was offset printed on SBS. The standout feature is a striking two-sided header structure with a cascading wave design inspired by the can and packaging graphics. This is complemented by beach and sand-themed support columns, aqua-toned elements, and lime wedge accents, all reinforcing the brand's lime flavor and tropical island vibe. For ease of transport and assembly at retail, all components are packed KD into a one-piece shipper with included instructions.

The Results

The in-store promotion for Baja Blast soda was a resounding success, achieving impressive sales, engagement, and visibility. The visually striking display captured the adventurous spirit of the "Ride the Baja Wave" campaign, drawing consumers in with its unique and innovative design. Sales data showed a significant lift during the promotion period, attributed to its creative execution. The campaign also received positive feedback from store staff and customers alike, with many noting the display's ability to stand out in a crowded retail environment.

This success demonstrates the power of combining strong branding with creative in-store marketing to drive product awareness and boost sales.

If you want your display to drive sales and tell a story, get in touch with us today! [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.greatnortherninstore.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/10d-Silver-Final-Mt-Dew-wMusic.mp4"][/video]   View More Success Stories

OMA Bronze Award

We partnered with Pepsi to create a temporary, eye-catching, and "colossal" activation for merchandising palletized Pepsi products that coincided with the start of the NFL season and the highly anticipated release of Gladiator II. The activation was intended for placement in grocery and mass retail environments across the country.

Program Objective

The challenge was to develop a visually compelling and easily executable display that seamlessly integrated the themes of Gladiator II and NFL football while driving sales of Pepsi products. The display materials featured QR codes, offering consumers details on how to receive a "$10 movie reward" to see the film, further encouraging engagement and purchase. This activation targeted millions of football fans while paying tribute to the iconic imagery and excitement of Gladiator II. The combination of cinematic and sports themes aimed to create a memorable in-store experience that resonated with consumers and amplified the campaign's reach and impact.

The Work

A multi-component "wall" structure depicting the Roman Colosseum was chosen for its strong visual appeal to Gladiator movie fans and its ability to reinforce the epic nature of NFL football. This design seamlessly connected the themes of cinematic grandeur and the excitement of game day. The centerpiece of the structure featured a striking depiction of iconic artist Megan Thee Stallion alongside NFL superstars Josh Allen, Derrick Henry, Justin Jefferson, and Travis Kelce, all dressed in "Gladiator" attire. The display also included essential promotional information and a QR code, guiding consumers to a $10 reward for movie tickets to see Gladiator II. Freestanding columns added architectural depth and flexibility, allowing them to be placed adjacent to the main activation for an enhanced visual effect. The wall structure served as a dramatic backdrop for product pallets and strategically stacked products to create a cohesive and eye-catching display. Additional layers of visual engagement were achieved through SBS hanging pennants and column topping helmets, which amplified the campaign’s immersive theme. All components were litho-mounted for maximum visual impact. This thoughtful combination of design elements delivered a disruptive, memorable in-store presence that effectively promoted Pepsi products while aligning with both Gladiator II and NFL football.

The Results

The Gladiator-inspired campaign continues Pepsi's longstanding tradition of staying at the forefront of culture, partnering with iconic artists, and celebrating the passion of football. This visually stunning display captured the excitement and anticipation of game day, ensuring fans were fully prepared with great food and an ice-cold Pepsi. Designed with flexibility in mind, the activation could be positioned as an island display in large-format environments, with the Colosseum image prominently featured on the back wall, or utilized in an inline space, accommodating a variety of store sizes and layouts. The "Make Game Day Epic" promotion was a resounding success at retail, earning praise from both retailers and consumers. Shoppers frequently used the display as a photo backdrop, sharing images on social media, which further amplified the campaign's reach and impact. If you want your display to drive sales and tell a story, get in touch with us today! [video width="1920" height="1080" mp4="https://www.greatnortherninstore.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/10a-Bronze-Final-Gladiator-wMUSIC.mp4"][/video]   View More Success Stories

Objective:

• Create a premium looking trophy case like display that contains baseball product to promote Evan Williams Bourbon as the “Official Bourbon of Major League Baseball’s World Series”
• Showcase the brand locally (Cincinnati, Kansas City, etc.) as well as promote the World Series in other markets

What We Did:

• Created a stop-in-your-tracks display case that caught customers attention and drew them in from several feet away
• Used materials that capture the premium look and feel while maintaining strength and cost-effectiveness

Results:

• Reports show an execution rate of 100% in store, with no reported shipping issues
• Heaven Hill is planning a similar promotion again next year

OMA Silver Award

We had the privilege of working with Mountain Dew on an engaging and energetic merchandiser to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their Baja Blast flavor.

Program Objectives

This display's objectives were simple. Mountain Dew needed to blast people out of the water with an eye-catching merchandiser that embodied their brand persona and reflected Baja Blast's dynamic beach aesthetic. Mountain Dew Baja Blast is traditionally sold only at Taco Bell or other food service outlets, but because this was an important anniversary, they wanted to make it especially unique at retail. They decided this display would be available in convenience store environments, with 20-ounce bottles of Baja Blast. This necessitated a small format, small footprint structure to fit into the desired retail environment. Mountain Dew wanted a display that commanded attention, with a unique shape that set it apart from traditional hutch structures, to attract new and existing drink fans. It was also imperative that the display was easy to execute to get strong retail compliance rates so that Mountain Dew's direct service teams could maintain their speed.

The Work

The display's two-month life span and budgetary considerations required us to use an all-corrugated structure, which we litho-laminated to make the colors and branding pop. Our design team brought to life the unique shape Mountain Dew requested through a radically curved structure mimicking a massive wave at the beach. We used SBS pieces to curve the sides of the cabinet, making them rise magnificently above the shelves, with the wave crest breaking over the product. The SBS is also offset-printed for maximum impact. The cabinet's side has colorful graphics that set the beach scene, further reinforced by the aqua, white and yellow colors and shelves printed to look like weathered wood. For the easy execution component, we packed all components "knocked down" into a one-piece shipper for easy transport, including the set-up instructions, hutch structure and header components.

Results

The display structures' compliance with grocery, drug and convenience store aisle specifications allowed them to maximize placement while maintaining site lines for security. Sales for this display exceeded all expectations. By leveraging the rarity factor of finding this product outside of food service outlets, Mountain Dew expanded its reach to a broader audience, fulfilling the objective of attracting new customers. The success of this display was twofold. It boosted short-term sales and solidified long-term brand loyalty by meeting current fans' demands and surprising new consumers with the unique Baja Blast flavor.

Summary

To summarize, Mountain Dew tasked us with creating a temporary, small-footprint floor stand for convenience store environments to sell 20-oz. bottles of Mountain Dew Baja Blast to celebrate the product's 20th anniversary. Our unique display profile utilized wave imagery, a weathered wood look for the shelves and other aqua-toned components that reinforced the brand's beach atmosphere and lime flavor. This display succeeded in short-term sales and long-term brand awareness and fulfilled Mountain Dew's expectations. Create your own successful display with our team of award-winning designers. Contact us today!   View More Success Stories  

OMA Silver Award

We delightedly assisted the premium Italian wine producer LaMarca in their efforts to market their new 187ml Prosecco bottles in Kroger stores nationwide. Let's look at how we made this a successful award-winning display that shot LaMarca's sales up for a sustained period.

Program Objectives

Stores usually merchandise these products in two ways. Either on cut cases with the attitude of "stack it high and let it fly," or Kroger will place them on a shelf as open stock. Our mission was to elevate LaMarca's products above the rest by creating an upmarket destination for them within the cluttered wine section of this grocery store chain. Our objectives for this mission were twofold. We needed to consider how to maximize the amount of product offered while keeping the display's footprint reasonably small.

The Work

LaMarca wanted to pitch that their Prosecco display should be front and center in a locale that would disrupt the consumer's path when entering the store. We created and proposed several different concepts to support their pitch and rendered them into actual store environments. Ultimately, LaMarca decided on the stairstep design because it keeps with the elegant tone they were going for while also being simplistic and minimizing the footprint of the display. The high-gloss litho-lamination on the display's corrugated structure emphasized the high-end look and feel of the LaMarca brand. While the exterior exuded elegance, we built the interior with more practicality in mind. It housed a partition set that allowed the unit to hold 72 bottles of the smaller 187ml Prosecco bottle in a reasonable three-by-two overall footprint.

The Results

This program's results were an astounding win for LaMarca on various levels. Here are the effects this display had on LaMarca:

• They were able to create the desired disruptive destination for their brand. The retailer even paired the larger 750ml bottles at the front of the store with the display.
• In terms of sales, LaMarca achieved an incredible +25% sales lift monthly thanks to this simple, sleek and cost-effective display.
• Due to the popularity of the display, most Kroger stores kept it up longer than intended, even refilling some displays with open-stock products an astonishing two or three times. LaMarca is already planning phases for a 2024 version.

Summary

It was crucial to make sure we translated the upscale nature of LaMarca into this display. That luxurious, upmarket feel comes with excellent quality, carefully chosen materials and a design that gives off a calm air of excellence. Our chosen stairstep design and the high gloss-litho lamination printing blended simplicity and luxury in a way that drew people in, while the interior partition set allowed for ample storage (72 bottles) of the giftable 187ml bottle in a three-by-two footprint. If you would like to see a sales increase like LaMarca with your product and see your company on this success page, contact us today!

Objective

• Leverage the equity of the product’s can shape
• Balance the size of the display for in store presence and total sku’s on the display
• Increase impulse purchase incentive
• Ensure ease of implementation and strength

What we did

• Designed structurally sound point of purchase displays to hold over one hundred pounds of product
• Display shipped preloaded
• Created an iconic larger-than-life destination within the store to build brand equity
• Created graphics that were targeted toward both adults and children

Results

• Stimulated impulse purchases
• Consumers easily recognized the brand and quickly shopped the display down
• Sales figures showed double digit sales pattern compared to same product sold on shelf

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Objective

• Develop a simple beverage display platform that provides ease of execution at retail
• Combine a powerful visual impact with structural integrity for easy access to product and a small footprint for health food stores
• Customer needed displays in store in 3 weeks

What We Did

• Created a simple one-piece column structure with a dramatic image of Usain Bolt, Olympic Gold medalist, as a billboard graphic
• Developed a quick 1-2-3 assembly process
• Added stark white shelves that highlight product colors and extend beyond the display to invite consumers to further investigate
• Positioned the brand message with high visibility to quickly communicate product benefits to the serious athlete

Results

• Our speed-to-market process resulted in design to delivery in 3 weeks
• The G Series Pro products are selling four times the level of those that are on the shelf
• Retailers reported that the merchandising displays have been restocked multiple times
• The addition of the vac-formed tray has extended store life and enabled retailers to keep the display on the floor to match demand

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Objective

• Develop a merchandising vehicle to garner Pringles additional placement at Meijer
• Drive impulse purchases, across the various Pringles’ flavors

What we did

• Created an easy to load, easy to shop, gravity-feed solution that keeps products at a shopper’s fingertips
• Provided large spaces for branding
• Utilized Pringles original red color for branding and stopping power

Results

• The units were designed to fit on top of the coolers at the checkout…successfully driving impulse purchase
• Shopper data has shown Pringles is driving incremental sales, including bringing in new buyers to the category at Meijer
• Simple set-up and stocking has generated fans at Meijer stores

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Objective

• Create awareness of Starbucks’ new cold brew product launch
• Develop a durable activation for use in the grocery channel

What we did

• We captured the essence of the Starbucks coffee-house with a wood-framed easel design
• The glass-bottled product could shine on the cantilevered shelves

Results

• The Starbucks logo, product graphic, and faux chalkboard panel successfully attracted shopper attention
• Streamlined design, well-chosen materials, and well-engineered construction ensured a durable activation
• Our expertise in both domestic and international sourcing allowed our customer to get to market quickly and maximize ROI

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