McCaffrey’s Crazy 8 Sale
The Crazy 8 Sale is a familiar promotion across the grocery industry, which is precisely what made it easy to overlook.
While customers recognized the concept, the visual presentation followed predictable patterns that blended into the background of weekly retail messaging. The sale existed, but it did not create urgency, excitement, or recall. In a crowded promotional landscape, familiarity had turned into invisibility.
The goal was to reintroduce Crazy 8 in a way that would capture the attention of impulse shoppers and reengage lapsed customers. Without specific creative direction from leadership, the challenge became an opportunity. The campaign needed to stand out immediately, feel intentional, and create a moment that customers noticed and talked about, without permanently disrupting the McCaffrey’s brand.
Role:
Creative Direction
Brand Strategy
Project Management
Campaign Management
Circular Design
In-store Signage
Prepress
Year:
2024 - Ongoing
Familiar ideas need unfamiliar execution to stay relevant.
Breaking Down Familiarity to Restore Attention
When a promotion becomes routine, repetition stops working. This campaign intentionally stepped away from the visual language typically associated with grocery sales to reset customer perception and make the promotion feel new again.
The strongest concepts communicate before they are understood.
Off-Brand by Design
The visual direction was intentionally rooted in meaning, not nostalgia for its own sake. The campaign drew from a simple but layered idea. Eight stores. Eight-bit design language. A visual nod to 1980s gaming culture that subtly reinforced the promotion without needing explanation.
The retro aesthetic worked on a subliminal level. For customers, it felt familiar and playful before it felt promotional. For those who recognized the references, the campaign created an immediate emotional connection without asking for attention outright.
The best retail campaigns invite people in.
Designing for Engagement Beyond the Ad
The campaign did more than advertise a sale. It energized store teams, encouraged tastings and in-store activity, and sparked conversation with customers who recognized the nostalgic references. The result was a promotion that felt participatory rather than transactional.
If you’re looking for a designer who thinks strategically, works collaboratively, and sees projects through, I’d love to connect.
Performance Comparison
Coming late January 2026!