Upscale food emporium Whole Foods Market, so well known for its tony atmosphere and high prices that jokester say its slogan should be "Whole Foods, Whole Paycheck," wants to change its image. The
goal is to tone down its elitist image and to come across as a more value-oriented food store that offers healthful products at low prices. Whole Foods says the widely held perception that its prices
are higher than its competitors' is simply untrue, and for the next 10 weeks it is running print ads in New York City that emphasize the words "value" and "deals." "We are extremely competitively
priced," said Christina Minardi, a Whole Foods regional president. "But we are not doing a good job of getting the word out. We are hiding it." The new ads bear the tagline "More of the good stuff.
For less." However, critics say the strategy could backfire because so many of the store's well-heeled, health-conscious customers like the image the store currently projects. The ads "are
inconsistent with what the brand stands for," said Allen Adamson, managing director of the New York office of Landor Associates, a corporate identity consultant. "The reality is that they have a
premium-looking store positioned as an all- natural place to shop. Both of those signal 'expensive.' "
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