Sam’s Club – Health Equity
Sam’s Club took a bold step by focusing on “communicating in culture,” adopting a more inclusive, community-driven approach to offer healthier products, services, and inspiration—especially for those who’ve faced health inequities.
The Specifics
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Create engaging experiential marketing that connects with Black and Hispanic Sam’s members and associates, inspiring healthier living. The goal is to address health inequities and unconscious bias with uplifting, culturally relevant experiences—starting with food and extending to offerings like health screenings, pharmacy, optical, and fitness gear/services.
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Who:
African American and Hispanic Sam’s Club members—mostly urban, Gen X and Millennials with kids, tech-savvy, and community-focused. With a median income of $75K+, they often shop not just for home, but also for their small businesses or community groups.Behavior:
They value convenience, often choosing ready-to-serve meals and using online food delivery. Time matters more than cost. Nearly half have dietary needs, including religious preferences like Kosher and Halal.
Motivator:
Health isn’t just about being their best self—it’s about staying healthy for their family. -
It was about showing cultural humility—our activations were culturally informed, not just medically driven. We aimed to honor and elevate BIPOC food cultures, not fix or stigmatize them. Our goal was to embrace, inspire, and empower through an inclusive approach that built on what was already part of their lives.
Wellness Festivals
We kicked things off with a weekend full of fun, feel-good activations to inspire and reward healthy everyday choices. First up: movement made fun—think shooting free throws, dance-offs, and penalty kicks—getting members and associates active in joyful, shareable ways. We made sure everyone walked away knowing how small, daily moves boost both physical and mental health.
Next, we served up tasty motivation with nutritious spins on cultural favorites. Members got to sample familiar foods made healthier, while culturally aware nutritionists offered personalized tips that fit their lifestyles. To top it off, we helped bridge the access gap with free health screenings—vision, hearing, blood pressure, and pre-diabetes checks.
Tactics
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Grab-and-Go Meal Kit Bundles
We teamed up with nutritionists, dietitians, and local chefs to create easy, traditional meal plans using bulk ingredients. Members could grab downloadable shopping lists or one-click bundles for Club Pickup.
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Dietetics and Masterclasses
Sam’s Club members were able to sign up for on-demand content tailored to their needs—whether for home, business, or both.
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21-Day Guided Challenges
We built on the idea that it takes 21 days to form a habit with fun challenges led by dietitians, fitness pros, and influencers. Members who joined in got daily tips, motivation, and special Instant Savings.