Officeworks' new tagline precedes strong first-half financials

Officeworks says the debut of a new brand tagline and wider channel strategy are reinforcement of the company's efforts to better connect with its customers.

The launch came a week before the retailer reported strong first-half results to 31 December 2017, including a 9.7 per cent increase in revenue to $1.01 billion, and $68 million in earnings before income tax (EBIT). In a statement, Officeworks attributed the result to continued improvements in its core offerings, new and expanded product ranges, improvements to store designs, omni-channel capability expansion, trading during the strong back to school period, and a ‘relentless’ focus on customer service, range, and price.

A particular highlight on the omni-channel front is an integration with Google Assistant that allows consumers to engage with products and brand via voice-activated devices. The integration is across Google Home and Google Home Mini as well as compatible Android and iOS smartphones, and allows consumers to search product information on 35,000 SKUs, check product availability in-store, confirm store locations and trading hours via voice.

The fresh tagline ‘Make Bigger Things Happen’ was launched in February in conjunction with other marketing communications focused on Officeworks’ every channel services capability. Officeworks national marketing manager, Karl Winther, said its reinforces the brand’s positioning, sums up what the brand is about, and is the essence of what the brand is trying to communicate.

“‘Make Bigger Things Happen’ aims to engage with customers and help them better connect with the brand,” Winther told CMO. “This tagline has actually been part of our internal operations for a while. Make bigger things happen is a business strategy for us, we are just now also articulating it to our customers.

“Customer engagement is at the core of who we are. We aim to offer a seamless every channel experience, not only in store but also online so we give the customer a choice of how they’d like to shop, and this is what we’ve been aiming to do for the last five years."

Winther highlighted same-day delivery, free next-day delivery, free two-hour click and collect services and extended trading hours, as well as the revamped Price Beat Guarantee, as other examples of how Officeworks has been lifting its customer game. 

“Our teams have really been buoyed by this tagline launch because they live it every day. We don’t just offer pen, paper and technology, we really want to communicate with our customers that they can achieve what they want to achieve,” he said.

The new tagline is supported by TV, radio, outdoor, catalogue, press, magazine, direct marketing, digital advertising and in-store activity across the month of February.

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