Stuart Dornfield

Office Depot

IMAGE RETAILING BUILDS CATEGORY OWNERSHIP

BACKGROUND:

I was fortunate to start with Office Depot in 1986 when they had merely 3 stores and “big box” retailing and the notion of “category killers” was just emerging. Through the 13 years I worked with the Company, I was privileged to have helped develop some of the category’s first and most innovative marketing ideas and integrated advertising that helped Office Depot become the world’s largest office supplies retailer.

By the time Office Depot reached $1 billion in annual sales with 100 stores, my slogan “Where America Saves on Office Supplies” had done its job of helping to build category ownership. Then in 1992, I introduced the award-winning “Taking Care of Business” campaign. Fortunately, I had a great client, Mr. Gary Foss, EVP-Merchandising and Marketing, and Mr. Mark Clark, Director of Advertising, who recognized (and supported) this new brand proposition. The campaign evolved over 9+ years, starting as a salute to small and medium sized businesses, followed by hundreds of Grand Opening programs then a series of 8 network TV spots featuring unique business around the country. From a leading Gospel record company in Nashville to a modeling agency in South Beach. Subsequent phases of the campaign were even used in countries as far away as Israel, Colombia, England, and Mexico. And today, over 17 years after it was created, TCOB still remains the company’s slogan, providing Office Depot with a “single voice” across its brick ‘n mortar, online and catalog channels that produce over $15 billion in annual sales.

How successful was the “Taking Care of Business” campaign? Well, during one stretch from second- quarter 1993 to fourth-quarter 1994, the company posted seven consecutive quarters in which same- store sales exceeded 20%. In fact, same-store sales surged past the 30% mark during the second half of 1993 and the first half of 1994.

But the “Taking Care of Business” story doesn’t end there. Because, during this campaign, there were many other firsts that I am proud to have helped Office Depot develop. I helped launch the category’s first delivery and e-commerce channels (now doing over $4 billion in transactions); helped launch the category’s first computer and business machines department; the category’s first Sports Marketing, Hispanic and Asian marketing initiatives; the category’s first “Holiday” and “Back-to-School” sales promotions (which added dramatic incremental sales increases as high as 95%); and lastly, launching the company’s stand-alone retail concepts — Express Stores , Images Copy Centers, Furniture-At-Work, and Office Depot MegaStores.

But perhaps what I am most proud of creating for Office Depot is the category’s first Cause-Related Marketing effort that won industry-wide acclaim by the National Retail Federation, the 2000 Gold Award for the Best TV Commercial.

CLICK HERE TO PLAY COMMERCIAL

The promotion featured the retail industry’s first 5% Back-to-School rebate program, which helped raise millions of dollars to benefit over 70,000 local public schools. Today, other retailers like Target use rebate programs like this to help generate incremental sales and boost community involvement.

RESULTS:

How successful was the “Taking Care of Business” campaign? Well, during one stretch from second- quarter 1993 to fourth-quarter 1994, the company posted seven consecutive quarters in which same- store sales exceeded 20%. In fact, same-store sales surged past the 30% mark during the second half of 1993 and the first half of 1994.