• by Larissa Faw , November 11, 2014

There are numerous online platforms where users can order just food, but Delivery.com claims it is the only online ordering platform where people are able to order food, booze, groceries, and laundry from local businesses in their neighborhood - all from one site/app. 

Now, Delivery.com is launching a multi-faceted advertising campaign to build awareness around its claimed point of differentiation. This ad launch also coincides with daily discount platform Groupon recently joining Yelp as affiliates of Delivery.com.

"Our service is unique and truly makes peoples' lives easier," says to Neeraj Sharma, VP of marketing, Delivery.com. "There are many services out there that can deliver you a small subset of what we have on our platform. Our challenge is to build awareness around the offering."

Developed by creative agency Juniper Jones, the client’s first-ever TV spot entitled “Strange Hobbies” touts Delivery.com's four offerings -- grocery, liquor store and restaurant deliveries and laundry services. 

"The purpose of the ad is to showcase how our service makes peoples' lives easier," says Sharma. "We understand that people have busy lives and are not lazy and aren't necessarily trying to avoid human contact. The character in the ad has so much free time that he is able to pursue his passion for knitting and by the end of the ad he has knitted himself and the entire apartment, including the cat! We wanted the ad to clearly communicate what we do but also be shareable."

This 30-second commercial will run over the next 8 weeks on ESPN, TBS, Comedy Central, Food Network, Bravo, VH1, Cartoon Network, FX, USA, E!, AMC. The first TV buys will be in the New York market, and will be expanding into other markets over the coming weeks. 

Meanwhile, TV is just one channel in the broader strategy to build awareness. And while Juniper Jones is responsible for the TV spot, the other elements of the campaign are being developed internally. 

Starting Monday, November 10, the platform is introducing ads in New York City subways. Also, Delivery.com's social media channels are hosting a photo contest where people can submit a photo of their "strange" hobby or lifestyle for a chance to win a grand prize of $1,000. There are also radio spots, mobile ads, and digital video on Hulu and YouTube. 

Between January and June, Delivery.com spent on $5,000 on advertising, down from $167,000 year-over-year according to Kantar Media. The company's entire 2013 ad budget in 2013 was $347,000.