The Story of Via Roma
There has been an amazing buzz about the Via Roma brand since its launch within A&P in 2009, and especially at the PLMA show in November.
And the reasons for this are simple. It is the most unique private label, actually, brand to hit the retail scene in recent memory. It has a powerful presence in the store where consumers see this as a credible brand (now across 100+ products), and their loyalty to it is already showing.
The story behind its creation is a great tale in collaboration between united* and A&P.
We could give you the functional story behind Via Roma, and if it were like most retailers, this is where the story would end. Boring, tactical and procurement-focused! Yes, functionally, Via Roma was about creating an authentic Italian product line for a retailer that has key hubs in New York and Philadelphia, where there is truly a love of Italian food.
Via Roma, emotionally, creates an immediate visceral response that is palpable and
unmistakable. Underlying all of it is a style of portrait photography that isn’t afraid to show off people’s real personality.
To be honest, we knew we couldn’t achieve the emotional authenticity we were looking for from a local casting call, actors or even stock images. So we took our photo shoot to Tuscany, to the village of Lucignano, where we got the entire community deeply involved, even caring about the brand’s outcome.
We commissioned a partner in this mission, Bill Hueberger (photographer), and together captured over 80 different people who are the central focus of Via Roma, and demonstrate an expressiveness and truth that simply wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.
When have you ever heard about a retailer commissioning this level of photo shoot? A bold commitment to say the least!
Via Roma is a brand that has true personality and typifies Italian culture and a way of living. It is about joy, love, sharing. It is about the togetherness and special connectedness around the dinner table. And you will also note that the brand intentionally captures an older generation. The idea behind this was that there are certain aspects of life that are timeless, and certain passions that never get too old, like sharing an ice cream together or laughing with friends. And yes, there are recipes that are time-honored as well, and get handed down generation to generation.
The beauty of Via Roma is that the people will become the brand, and across the environmental and out-of-store media, their expressiveness is the cue into the brand, rather than a functional description of the product itself.
This rich palette of personalities, where no portrait is the same, creates an interesting, visually impactful trail throughout the store, in a sea of 30,000+ skus where all brands fight for our attention. It is completely different from any other traditional private label, and really isn’t private label. Via Roma is a true brand, one that was conceived, by the way, by defying some of the qualitative research (there was another version tested with more typical Italian colors/cues that was seen by consumers as more recognizably Italian). A&P had a lot of guts and vision in supporting the Via Roma brand, and it will undoubtedly pay off.
Perry Seelert is Strategic Partner of united* dsn, llc,
a design consultancy that creates unique brands and
is redefining the future of the retail experience.
T: 917 267 2857 ext 8248 E: perry@uniteddsn.com
For more information visit www.uniteddsn.com
