Brand Development, Content Creation, Content Strategy
Instacart’s Commercial Marketing team approached us with a high-stakes mission: create a compelling campaign that lets consumers know Instacart offers same-as-in-store pricing at select retailers to drive growth in priority markets—and turn it around in just 4 weeks.
Given the nebulous scope, high pressure, and fast turnaround times, we knew traditional project management wouldn’t cut it. Instead of the usual back-and-forth between agency and client, we worked as one unified team, brainstorming and iterating on creative in live sessions. Having established trust over the course of our 3-year working relationship, this embedded approach allowed more efficient collaboration to happen in real-time.
Knowing we needed to move quickly (and make the most impact possible), we used hyperlocal insights to shape messaging that would both stand out to local shoppers and increase trust.
Using live brainstorming, brainwriting, and design workshops, we developed static assets, streaming scripts, digital billboards, and longer-form video spots, including CTV and OLV content. Our agile project management style and iterative feedback rounds allowed us to pivot quickly as we learned what resonated with each regional audience.
To level up the campaign, we expanded into video, motion graphics, and advanced creative executions, scaling the campaign across every touchpoint where regional consumers encountered grocery ordering decisions.
In just a few weeks, we concepted, designed, and executed over 115 assets across paid social, display, out-of-home, grocery TV, direct mail, email, and streaming audio—plus three comprehensive video spots. We also launched our English-to-French Canadian translation services for the Quebec market to ensure full bilingual rollout.
But the impact went far beyond asset count.
The campaign we helped develop became a cornerstone of Instacart’s pricing strategy, cited publicly by Instacart’s new CEO as a key proof point in his vision for growth. In a fireside chat at Goldman Sachs Communacopia, he shared that retailers offering price parity grew 10 percentage points faster than those with markups—and he credited the campaign as critical in making that business case.
What started as a 4-week experiment turned into a blueprint for how Instacart shows up in market—and how C5 helps them move fast, with impact. Since then, we’ve expanded our partnership with two additional teams, helping them bring new campaigns to life using the same infrastructure, speed, and collaboration model.
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