PR Program for Mercato Enhances Brand and Drives Traffic, Leads

Results:

Challenge

Mercato, an online ordering and delivery platform for independent grocery stores nationwide, wanted to increase awareness, predominantly with grocery store businesses in key markets nationwide. It also wanted to create pull-through from consumers to get stores on the platform through increased awareness online. When Mercato first came to Clearpoint, it was little-known and trying to go up against major players like Amazon, Instacart, Shipt, and others with much larger budgets and bigger marketing departments. Its market was growing but it was not available in all states.

The company also experienced some growing pains as home delivery during the pandemic continued to grow. As this was a new market, education was needed on how the platform and model worked. PR coverage needed to address perception while continuing to educate consumers and create awareness among media.

Solution

Clearpoint developed a PR strategy to educate independent grocers on the benefits of an online delivery business, focus on Mercato’s differentiators and strengths, and raise the company’s profile in the industry.

Detailed Results

Clearpoint’s media relations strategy, focused on the ways this start-up was bringing big company capabilities to independent grocers and aiding them in competing with big box stores, really resonated with the press. In a period of only two months after the pandemic started (after having worked for Mercato for just over a year), Clearpoint obtained over 190 earned media hits with high-value/high Moz rankings including in Money, CNET, USA Today, New York Times, AP, Modern Retail, Winsight Grocery Business, Retail Customer Experience, Grocery Dive, Food Business News, Supermarket News, Chain Store Age, Progressive Grocer, and more.

Clearpoint’s development of Mercato’s PR program helped in many ways

• Elevated brand awareness and managed communications in key markets
• Obtained hits for Mercato on its funding news with features in Crunchbase, San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Business Journal, Xconomy, Pitchbook, AlleyWatch, VC News Daily, Axios, Pulse 2.0, Tech Startups, Grocery Dive, Retail Technology Innovation Hub, Progressive Grocer, Fortune and Hoodline, gaining credibility for the start-up
• Obtained additional feature articles and inclusion in stories in both national and local business and trade media, including The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, New York Post, Gourmet News, Food Navigator, The LA Daily News, Edible San Diego, and others
• Many articles included backlinks to Mercato.com, helping to drive traffic and SEO
• Won a coveted Winsight Grocery Game Changer Award for Mercato’s CEO, along with several profile pieces for him, elevating his perception as a thought leader
• Elevated the value perception of Mercato, helping it to gain grocers during a critical period so that now they have more than 1,000 independent grocery stores for which they deliver
• Additional investment gained from Tech Coast Angels

“We needed a PR firm that could make things happen right away as we aggressively worked to open new markets, onboard merchants, and meet with investors. Clearpoint’s ability to quickly jump in with an objective-driven PR plan and get our story out to the right trade and national media outlets, made it a great choice for Mercato.” 

Mercato Founder and CEO Bobby Brannigan 

Publications

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