Sam’s Club, a leading membership-based retail warehouse and a division of Walmart Inc., today announced that VMLY&R has been selected as their agency of record following a competitive review conducted in partnership with the agency search consultancy Select Resources International (SRI). VMLY&R will begin work in March 2021 to lead the development of a new brand platform, creative, and omnichannel strategy. The agency selection represents a consolidation of a variety of agency roles, allowing for more creativity and business impact with a single partner.
Sam’s Club has millions of members in the US through SamsClub.com and nearly 600 locations across the country. In recent years, Sam’s Club has become known for its innovative Scan and Go technology that allows its members to skip the checkout line. The company is also refreshing its brand in clubs, increased its investment in social media and solidified its brand promise: Expect Something Special.
“Sam’s Club is a $60B business with a ton of momentum. And it’s accelerating. We were looking for a world-class agency that could help us fuel even more growth,” said Tony Rogers, chief member officer of Sam’s Club.
“We’ve done a lot of work this year to build a strong foundation for the brand, and we were just ready to take it to the next level. We knew we needed an agency with outstanding creative talent, strong social and digital DNA, and the ability to bring our brand to life in exciting new ways. In VMLY&R we found all that and more. We felt like they already knew us, and we think they can help us build even more meaningful connections with new prospects, existing members and our own associates,” Tony added.
“We are delighted by this new partnership and honoured to work with Sam’s Club to take the brand to new heights,” said Jon Cook, CEO of VMLY&R. “They have a great foundation to build upon and limitless opportunity for growth.”
Jon continued: “This pitch was virtual, and during every touchpoint, we could tell immediately that we both appreciated breakthrough work, value true collaboration, and are committed to diverse and inclusive work and teams. We know this will be the start of something special for both organisations and for Sam’s Club members.”
As Sam’s Club continues its brand evolution, VMLY&R will build on the current brand promise and bring it to life in a way that appeals to Sam’s Club’s diverse member base, encourages advocacy for the brand, and is both socially and digitally-forward.