Sainsbury’s and Tesco are the two most prominent grocers in the UK, with locations in almost every city and town. Both chains have recently rebranded as an attempt to gain a larger share of this competitive and image-based business. Today we are comparing the two brands and looking at what makes them both effective but very different parts of the overall company marketing study.

The Sainsbury’s supermarket logo design has a straightforward, almost newsy font that is rounded to give a slightly more approachable feeling. The company’s tagline is written beneath in an even friendlier font: ‘Try something new today’. The lack of hard lines or concrete images puts the attention solely on the name and tagline, while the bright orange colour is attention-getting, but muted slightly for a more modern feeling.

The message of this logo is that Sainsbury’s is an approachable store where customers can try new things. There is nothing threatening or formal about this logo, which opens the door for experimentation. This message resonates with customers all over the UK, where trying new foods has become something of a national craze.

Tesco supermarket logo design is a very different store with a logo reflecting their unique qualities. First, a colour scheme reminiscent of the Union Jack advertises the company’s heavy roots in the UK. The wording is bolder and thicker than that of Sainsbury’s, showing a more serious and stable side. A line under the company name is divided by slanted dashes, giving a feeling of movement while drawing attention to the name. Last, Tesco also includes a tagline in their food and drink logo design: ‘Every little helps’. This is written in a casual font that appears to be handwritten. Whether the tagline refers to the company’s recent environmentally oriented changes or to the company’s stated goal of cutting one’s grocery bill is unknown. However, both are key part of the company’s values, making this a great tagline either way.

The message of the Tesco logo is that this is a British company dedicates to helping British people. All of the elements are combined to create an image of stability and to push the image of this market as a pillar of the community with a heavy dose of social consciousness. This is a highly marketable message in the UK, although very different from the equally marketable message put across by Sainsbury’s.

Do you shop for fun and experimentation or simply try to get your supplies at the lowest possible price? This question sums up the key difference between the two supermarket brands. While the two stores are very similar in both products and service, the emphasis makes all the difference. If these brands are successful, people who want to play with their food will be attracted to Sainsbury’s while those who want to economize will tend to favour Tesco. These people may not realize what they are doing or how they are being affected by these marketing messages, which makes these brands all the more effective in shaping customer opinion and influencing consumer behaviour.