Canada's No Name in spotlight after concept of 'no branding' store goes viral
To anyone outside of Canada, the concept of a grocery store with generic branding may seem novel.
This became clear after a content creator from India shared a concept of a store with no branding on X, and it went viral.
“Imagine a minimal store named ‘Store’ that sells nothing but products with no branding whatsoever,” posted @immasiddx, with concept photos of a white “Store” and products with generic titles.
@immasiddx/X
It has garnered over 55 million views and received thousands of replies and reposts since being posted on Friday.
Many replies and quote reposts came from Canadians who broke the news to the content creator that the concept has existed in Canada for decades as the No Name brand.
“You can tell someone isn’t from Canada when they post stuff like this,” reads one repost.
“Canada beat you to it,” added another.
@SarahBurssty/X
The No Name brand is owned by Canadian grocery giant Loblaw. It’s a staple at grocers like Real Canadian Superstore and No Frills, and is ironically known for its distinctive yellow branding and straightforward product descriptions.
The items are intended to be sold at a discounted price compared to those of big-name brands.
X
Loblaw definitely committed to the bit, making the No Name brand’s social media pages as deadpan as its products.
The X page’s banner simply says “twitter page” and the bio reads “I am a brand. Follow me.”
@nonamebrands/X
At one point, the X account started making generic lock screens for anyone who asked.
While No Name’s whole deal is to have no branding, that has become successful marketing in and of itself, to the point where Loblaw expanded it to not just grocery products, but a merch line, selling t-shirts, lunch bags, water bottles, and cups.
@nonamebrands/Instagram
After thousands of Canadians boycotted Loblaw over soaring grocery prices last May, the corporation piloted brick-and-mortar No Name brand stores in three Ontario cities.
However, Canadians didn’t seem too impressed by the generic brand getting its own standalone store, telling shoppers not to waste their time.
Google Reviews
Several non-Canadians reacted to the generic brand, saying they “love the idea.” Others aren’t fond of the bright yellow packaging and think @immasiddx’s white concept is more aesthetically pleasing.
While the branding is fun and amusing, it’s not enough to distract from Canadians’ continued struggle with skyrocketing grocery prices.