Perk Season at Clark's Market
The Client
Clark’s Market is a regional grocery chain with 10 locations across Colorado, Arizona, and Utah, serving a unique mix of local residents and seasonal tourists. Known for its quality products and strong community presence, Clark’s operates in highly competitive markets where customer loyalty is critical, especially during slower, off-season periods.
The Problem
Clark’s needed a way to drive consistent local traffic during shoulder seasons, when tourism dips and competition for everyday shoppers intensifies. While they had previously run a promotion called “7 Days of Ways to Save,” it lacked cohesion, visibility, and measurable impact.
The challenge was twofold:
- Give locals a compelling reason to choose Clark’s more often
- Grow and activate their VIP loyalty database in a meaningful, trackable way
The Solution
AR Marketing reimagined the campaign into Clark’s Perks — a fully integrated, omni-channel rewards initiative designed to meet shoppers where they are: at home, online, and in-store. The campaign paired high-value, easy-to-understand weekly deals with a strong creative identity and consistent messaging across every touchpoint. To deepen community connection, the campaign expanded beyond savings with Clark’s Cares, a philanthropic component that turned every Monday into an opportunity for customers to give back to local charities.
The Strategy
The success of Clark’s Perks was rooted in a multi-touch approach designed to build awareness, drive action, and reinforce behavior. Two months ahead of launch, AR Marketing worked with Clark’s to define clear KPIs, including a goal of 750 new VIP sign-ups. From there, the team developed a campaign identity that felt distinct enough to stand out while remaining true to the Clark’s brand.
Execution centered around a true omni-channel rollout:
- Direct Mail: 40,801 magnet mailers delivered just before launch, ensuring early awareness
- Social Media: Geo-targeted Meta campaigns by store, with multiple creatives tested and optimized in real time
- In-Store Experience: Exterior banners, iron mans, and register signage reinforced messaging at the point of purchase
- Digital Tracking: Meta Pixel and QR codes enabled clear attribution for both online and in-store conversions
Each touchpoint worked together to create multiple exposures per customer, increasing the likelihood of conversion and building familiarity with the program. Meanwhile, weekly “Perk of the Week” content and Clark’s Cares events added ongoing engagement and relevance throughout the six-week run.
The Results
The campaign generated 338,221 impressions and 4,006 website visits, with social engagement increasing by 381% and organic reach climbing to 51,944. Paid efforts drove 790 new VIP sign-ups at a $5.85 cost per acquisition, outperforming typical retail benchmarks.
"Have I told you lately how damn glad I am to have AR Marketing on my team? My peeps (Allie, Melissa, Lindsy, Samantha, Grant) are the dream and the most fun and the most organized and the best humans and the best marketers. The end."
Samantha Johnston, CMO at Clark's Market
