Retail is hard. Retail turnarounds are harder. And for a venerable store like Bed Bath & Beyond, an over-reliance on the 20 percent-off coupon led to a situation where the brand was struggling to compete. Unaided awareness numbers are what you’d think they’d be for a brand that’s part of the fabric of American culture. But there was little to no emotional connection.
Very few consumers could answer the question: “Why does Bed Bath & Beyond exist?”
Offline Shopping
Our first assignment was a digital video campaign to drive in-store traffic. Called “Offline Shopping,” the work played up the benefits of the physical shopping experience and set the irreverent tone for campaigns to come.
Our creative strategy was to make the brand synonymous with all things home, find our next generation of consumers, and give the brand (online and off) meaning in a world of endless aisles, retail carnage and deep discounters.
Black Friday
During the critical holiday period, Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year, but Bed Bath & Beyond shoppers needed an excuse to buy gifts for the family—and themselves. So we gave them carte blanche to buy anything they want with the simple phrase “for the house.” In a tough retail environment, sales for the period exceeded analyst and internal expectations with a notable increase in Cyber Monday volume.
Test Dream
We then started grounding the brand in real-life, daily activities. Instead of just selling cookware, bedding and towels, we transformed the proposition to cooking, sleeping and bathing. This simple shift gave the brand deeper relevance and meaning—and consumers a reason to shop more frequently. Our first spot in the series focused on sleep. The work plays to the strengths of the store experience: tactical merchandise and personal service—a throughline throughout our campaigns.
The transformation of this iconic brand is still in its infancy and we have our work cut out for us, but the shifts we’ve already made are helping the brand find a new home in the hearts of consumers.
If you’re a brand in need of transformation, we’re the creative agency for you.
