Etail grocer Ocado has kicked off a marketing campaign of its own just a week after Waitrose launched an advertising drive in London.

Ocado has this week launched a radio campaign airing on Magic in London and Heart across the rest of the UK. It heralds the return of the ‘Ocado Man’ who sings through a vocoder - a voice synthesiser - about the service of the grocer.

The ‘Ocado Man’ has been updated since being used in ad campaigns several years ago.

An Ocado spokesman said the campaign centres on the service of the etailer, including the popularity of its delivery drivers. The move comes as Waitrose kicks off a marketing campaign within the M25 emphasising its service and free delivery on orders over £50.

Waitrose, which supplies Ocado, previously had a provision in its contract with the etailer that prevented it delivering within the M25. But from the end of this month this provision will end, allowing Waitrose to deliver throughout central London.

According to Ocado’s prospectus, 50% of its gross sales in the year to November 2009 were within the M25. However, the etailer has said previously that London is a huge market, and in other locations where it and Waitrose both offer home delivery, they both grow market share.