Staples Has Finally Axed Its 'That Was Easy' Slogan
Staples After 10 years, Staples is dropping its once ubiquitous "That Was Easy" slogan as part of a new advertising campaign aimed at redefining the company for the digital age.
Traditionally associated with its brick-and-mortar office supplies stores, Staples' in-store sales have suffered in recent years as core products like notebooks, printers, and yes, staples, have gone out of fashion as modern schools and workplaces have shifted their communications online.
With a new tagline, "Make More Happen," and a new ad from recently appointed agency McGarryBowen, Staples seeks to shift consumers' focus to its online store and its vast inventory, which far exceeds the ink and office chairs most people associate with the brand.
Already, Staples.com by some measures is the second largest online retailer after Amazon, a result of the company's decision to open its online store all the way back in 1998.
Here's the first ad from the new campaign, touting the idea that business owners can find anything they need at Staples.com, whether its hard hats, goggles, cleaning supplies, or coffee. Customers can even order these goods for delivery at an in-store location. All the entrepreneur needs, Staples says, is the big idea:
The campaign will also extend to Staples' website, where the 'L' in its logo, traditionally a bent staple, has gone missing and will soon be replaced by a new item every day to highlight Staples' eclectic selection.
The campaign will also have a social media component based around the hashtag #WhatTheL.