Dive Brief:
- Staples is launching a new national brand campaign — only the fourth in its 31-year history — called "Staples — It's Pro Time," according to a news release. The effort is Staples' first to look "beyond retail," the release said, and seeks to address a broader customer base from consumers to SMBs to the enterprise-level.
- The full campaign includes a 30-second anthem ad titled "Summon Your Pro," along with 15-second TV spots, radio spots, print and digital distribution and in-store collateral and signage.
- The campaign was created in conjunction with MRM/McCann New York along with McCann Worldgroup partner Craft, and is set to kick off on May 8.
Dive Insight:
Staples, in need of a strong turnaround, is eyeing a comprehensive national marketing push to potentially put it back on the upswing and top of mind with consumers.
In March, the office supplies retailer announced plans to close approximately 70 stores before the end of 2017, which followed disappointing fourth quarter numbers and sluggish sales overall. In the fourth quarter, it posted a net loss, calculated on a GAAP basis from continuing operations, of $615 million or 94 cents per share. Overall Q4 same-store sales fell 1%; for the full year 2016, total company sales decreased 3% to $18.2 billion year over year, and same-store sales fell 1%.
There have also been recent murmurings that the brand is being eyed by a handful of private equity firms for a potential acquisition.
Cost-cutting measures have been top of mind for the retailer as it moves to execute new strategies after a proposed merger with rival Office Depot was blocked last year over antitrust concerns. Since then, Staples has sold its U.K. stores and a controlling interest in its remaining European operations. To draw more entrepreneurs and remote workers to its stores, the retailer has also experimented with a partnership with workspace startup Workbar.
The theme of the campaign is a "celebration of work ethic" and people being professional in their daily work lives, Frank P. Bifulco Jr., chief marketing officer at Staples, said in the release. Stemming from that, the messaging of "It's Pro Time" is aimed at a wider variety of customers than usual such as office managers, small business owners, janitors, consumers, facilities managers, purchasing managers and IT experts and assistants.
Bifulco added that the effort is intended to "shine the light" on Staples' business-with-business services and expertise, which are not as well known as its retail offerings but serve as a key part of its growth strategy.