Publicis Groupe Named as Integrated Advertising Agency for Sam's Club
Sam's Club Goes All-In with Publicis Groupe as Integrated Ad Agency
Sam's Club takes a bold stride in transforming its advertising game by naming Publicis Groupe its new integrated agency of record. A three-month review led to this decision, paving the way for a cohesive marketing approach.
The new partnership assigns Publicis control over paid media, creative, social media, and production, roles previously handled separately by Horizon Next and Arnold Worldwide. As one Sam's Club spokesperson shared with ADWEEK, this move symbolizes an effort to streamline operations and maintain cross-channel consistency.
Excited about the partnership, interim CMO W. Joe DeMiero wrote on LinkedIn, "This ain't just about marketing, it's about reimagining our cultural presence, improving in-store experiences, and nailing digital channels in a way that's more connected, more personalized, and most importantly, more valuable to our members." In other words, expect Polaris RZRs and initiatives like the Project Togetherhood to level up with some added charm and genuine connections.
Sam's Club's shift towards an integrated marketing model reflects a growing industry trend. Retail behemoths like Kroger and Walgreens Boots Alliance have already adopted this strategy, leveraging agencies such as Dentsu and WPP's Team WBA, respectively.
Publicis Groupe emerged as the victor in a competitive pitch, beating out Dentsu, reinforced by the support of MediaLink. To sweeten the deal, Publicis is already serving as parent company Walmart U.S.' media agency of record, granting them a wealth of insights and experience from the retail giant's inner workings.
Boasting strong sales growth, Sam's Club reported a 6.3% increase in U.S. sales (excluding fuel) to $90.2 billion for the financial year ending January 31, 2025. With a focus on performance marketing, consolidating under Publicis aims to sustain this impressive momentum through creative, strategic, and agile marketing solutions.
- Sam's Club's decision to partner with Publicis Groupe appears to be a strategic move towards consolidating its marketing operations, especially by 2025, as evidenced by the retail industry's growing focus on integrated marketing models.
- The alliance between Sam's Club and Publicis Groupe is set to yield significant growth in the brand's cultural presence, in-store experiences, and digital channels, with a commitment to making connections more personalized and valuable to members.
- Publicis Groupe's victory in the competitive pitch, supported by MediaLink, not only emphasizes their expertise in the retail industry but also provides them with valuable insights and experience from Walmart U.S., a company they currently serve as the media agency of record for.
- The new partnership between Sam's Club and Publicis Groupe assigns the control over paid media, creative, social media, and production to Publicis, roles previously managed separately by Horizon Next and Arnold Worldwide.
- As retail giants like Kroger and Walgreens Boots Alliance have already adopted this integrated marketing model, leveraging agencies such as Dentsu and WPP's Team WBA, respectively, Sam's Club's move towards an integrated marketing approach is indicative of a broader shift within the industry.
