Beyond Easy, Staples unveils new ad campaign
A decade after Staples made the phrase, “that was easy,” part of the American lexicon, the company is changing how it communicates with consumers and revising its brand logo.
On Monday, January 6, Staples said it will take the latest step in its reinvention when it launches a new ad campaign with the tag line, "Make More Happen.” The campaign moves beyond the solution-oriented, problem-solving approach embodied by the now iconic phrase, “that was easy,” which anchored Staples advertising for the past decade. “Make more happen,” is a tag line for a digital age and omnichannel approach to serving customers with limitless product assortments.
According to the company, which characterizes itself as the world’s second largest Internet retailer, the new campaign is focused on how Staples' expanded product assortment helps businesses succeed with more products, categories and more ways to shop.
"Make more happen highlights how Staples is reinventing itself to provide every product businesses need to succeed," said Shira Goodman, EVP of Global Growth at Staples. “We're adding thousands of new products every day. Our expanded product assortment appeals to businesses across a wide range of industries, from medical and restaurants to professional services and retail."
The fully integrated brand advertising campaign begins nationally on Monday, January 6 when the first of four new television spots appears demonstrating the breadth of assortment.
"Staples makes it easy to make more happen by providing all the stuff businesses need to get stuff done," said Steve Fund, Staples SVP of global marketing. "Our new campaign shows that if you have an idea, Staples has all the products you need to bring it to life."
In one of the spots, called “Big Idea,” an ultra-modern factory is shown where workers are using products purchased through Staples including the latest technology, safety equipment, factory signs and coffee. The assembly line is producing the biggest idea ever seen, but ultimately, the assembly line produces nothing, illustrating that Staples has everything business need, except the big idea. Three additional spots will begin to air in February on cable and primetime network programming, including CBS's Big Bang Theory and ABC's Scandal and Modern Family.
Staples' campaign features extensive use of digital video, social media and digital audio. The new branding appears in store, online and on the company's fleet of delivery trucks.
The company also plans to tweak its logo, which is essentially the company’s name featuring an “L” that is bent at the top to look like a staple. Initially, Staples is excluding the bent staple in its logo in a number of places, including Staples.com, and the company's social channels such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube pages. The retailer is attempting to engage shoppers with a conversation starting, "What the L is going on at Staples?" with the hash tag #WhatTheL.
On January 9, Staples will swap out the bent staple in the logo with a range of products beyond office supplies, from cleaning products to technology to breakroom snacks.