The retailer, which earlier this month added a regional distribution centre near Bristol, is attempting to improve recognition of the brand in areas away from its traditional heartland of the South-East of England.
Ocado is steering away from TV and print campaigns and will instead invest in outdoor ads, along with digital and direct activity, to raise its profile. The push includes 48-sheets, using mainly JCDecaux and Primesight-owned sites across South-West England and South Wales, as well as advertising on taxis.
The ads, created in-house, use puns on location names, such as 'Pickle to Cheddar' and 'Soap to Bath'.
According to Matt Knight, head of marketing, insight and communications at Ocado, it was important to raise the brand's profile in new territories in a 'fun and creative way'.
'We are confident that the campaign will turbo-charge our regular direct-response activity, so when people re-ceive an Ocado insert through their door, an email in their inbox or a coupon with their newspaper, there will be an even stronger connection,' said Knight.
Ocado has run some above-the-line campaigns since it was launched by a trio of former Goldman Sachs merchant bankers in 2002, but has predominantly used direct and digital marketing channels to expand the brand.
The retailer last ran a major TV campaign in 2008. It has subsequently carried out some smaller TV ads. The ad, which used the strapline 'We deliver', showed a shopper in a warehouse, selecting her groceries, then loading and driving an Ocado van herself.
Ocado, which floated on the stock market last July, posted 24.7% year-on-year growth in sales in the three months to 20 February. Its sales increased to £146.2m from £117.2m the previous year.
In September, Ocado announced it was starting to stock an own-label range, including meat and cheese lines, aimed at the mid-range market.
The retailer made its first pre-tax profit in the three months to 28 November 2010.
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