New Strategy Working Perfectly

New Strategy Working Perfectly For Office Products Depot

AUCKLAND, 15 MARCH 2004: New Zealand’s independent office supplies leader, Office Products Depot (OPD), has decided there is more to the humble paperclip than meets the eye.

In an effort to put fun into the business environment, OPD has launched a novel marketing strategy designed to lighten up the workplace, while building brand awareness and customer loyalty.

The new concept, fronted by a ‘Works for Me’ positioning statement promotes the use of rubbish bins as basketball hoops, Twink™ as nail polish, Post It Notes™ as colourful ties, and even plastic files as goldfish bowls to portray that life in an office can be fun, flexible and customer focussed. Office Products Depot Marketing Manager, Toni Glass, says the new ‘Works for Me’ look and feel, the result of extensive research, and will be backed by print, point of sale and TV advertising campaign.

She says it was created to build on the heightened brand awareness achieved with the highly successful ‘Think Orange’ strategy. “That achieved all its goals and helped us gain increased market share and awareness,” she says, “and we are retaining the orange identity.” The new positioning statement, developed in a freehand font appears on all advertising, collateral and customer communication.

“What we have created with ‘Works for Me’ is a clear point of difference and an emotional link with our customers which we see as important to position the brand for even further growth, ” she says. “We don’t just sell pens and paperclips, we provide customer solutions. We are service driven, flexible and big enough to have great prices but small enough to care for our customers.”

Ms Glass says the campaign is also designed to demonstrate OPD’s range of products and encourage their customers to think outside the square. “Firstly, we wanted to encourage customers to look beyond pens and paper. Stationery is actually less than half of the office products market, with furniture, cafeteria, packaging and technology products key to our overall mix.

“As customers - particularly businesses - demand simplicity in the supply chain, they increasingly look for value from each supplier and to limit the amount of suppliers they deal with. We are able to offer our customers a wide range of products, negating the necessity to visit different specialty stores.”

The creative advertising campaign is intended to show the range of modern uses for traditional office supplies and features a range of products being used in a series of unusual ways. This aspect resulted from a team effort, with staff, customers and suppliers contributing many novel ideas. “Office supplies can be fun without being flippant,” says Ms Glass, “and this theme also runs well alongside our focus on being professional, rather than corporate.”

OPD is confident that using the ‘Works for Me’ philosophy in every aspect of the company’s decision-making process will result in an even more customer-focussed approach. “We are passionate about our business. Our owners/people, nationwide, are passionate about their businesses and customers. We are independent, New Zealand owned, and we make things work.”

ENDS

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