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Spar is returning to national TV advertising after more than six

years in a bid to build its positioning at the heart of local

communities.

The convenience store retail chain will unveil the TV spot next month in

a pounds 2m push focusing on its core values of convenience, helpfulness

and relevance. It will resurrect the 'So near, so Spar' strapline used

during its last TV appearance in 1994.

The ad, created by Belfast agency Genesis, features a day in the life of

a Spar store. It aims to encourage people to visit their local store and

see it as a genuine convenience retailer that meets their immediate

shopping needs.

'We are trying to make Spar relevant to our customers,' said Spar

marketing director Susan Darbyshire. 'Most people who visit us live

within a quarter of a mile of the store, and it is that community

feeling that we want to play on.'

There are about 2650 Spar outlets in the UK. The chain, which has a 2%

share of the total grocery market, is about to launch its first

own-brand range of children's soft drinks.