Back-to-School Promotions - 2011
BTS Season: July 3 – September 17, 2011
Questions Addressed
• Across all school & office supplies, which categories,
manufacturers and brands receive the most retail ads
support during the back-to-school season?
• How has retail ad support changed vs. BTS-2010?
• How does ad support vary across retailers?
• Which pricing formats are most common among
channel-leading retailers?
• How do BTS web promotions vary across retailers
and manufacturers?
• Which brands are promoted most in key back-toschool categories?
Weighted Share of School
& Office Supply Ad Blocks
Filing Supplies &
Accessories
1.0%
All Other Supplies
18.4%
BTS Ad Support Across School
& Office Sub-Categories
Note: Includes ads for branded & private
label products, but not unbranded
General School
Supplies
18.3%
Desk Accessories
1.3%
Office Storage &
Security
Meeting &
2.0%
Presentation Supplies
2.5%
Paper (excl photo)
3.3%
Equipment &
Machines
9.7%
Writing
Instruments
9.3%
Tapes & Adhesives
4.2%
Business Bags,
Cases, Accessories
Binders, Pocket
6.9%
Portfolios & Sheet
Protectors
7.3%
Notebooks &
Pads
7.3%
Backpacks, School
Bags, Lunch Kits
8.7%
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Excludes Computers and Luggage
Ad Support Vs. Year Ago By Sub-Category
Weighted Retail Ad Support Change Vs. Year Ago
Meeting & Presentation Supplies
+92%
Business Bags, Cases & Accessories
+88%
Notebooks & Pads
+68%
General School Supplies
+21%
Backpacks, School Bags, Lunch Kits
+8%
Equipment & Machines
-4%
Binders, Pocket Portfolios, Sheet Protectors
-4%
Writing Instruments
Tapes & Adhesives
-11%
-24%
Paper (Excl Photo) -30%
Total School &
Office weighted ad
counts are up 11.1%
vs. year ago.
Total School & Office Ad Support
Across Back-to-School Weeks
Weighted Retail Ad Support
BTS-2011
BTS-2010
Jul-9
Jul-16
Jul-23
Jul-30
Aug-6
Aug-13 Aug-20 Aug-27 Sept-03 Sept-10 Sept-17
Week Ending Dates
Source: ECRM
Retailers Running the Most
BTS School & Office Supply Ads
Staples
Office Depot
OfficeMax
Fred Meyer
Walgreens
Jewel-Osco
Zellers
Bartell Drug
Shoppers Drug Mart
Smith's Marketplace
Target Stores
Walmart
Shopko Stores
ShopRite
CVS
Kinney Drugs
Rite Aid
463.1
313.9
271.3
172.0
157.3
Staples leads all retailers
149.0
in BTS ad counts.
135.5
131.5
108.0
106.0
Number Retail Print Ads for
92.8
School & Office Supplies
83.0
Decimals represent ads shared with
82.0
multiple categories – measured as
80.0
fractional ad counts.
78.2
77.8
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
75.1
Retailers Increasing School & Office Ads For BTS
# of School
Retailer
& Office Ads
Staples
463.1
Smith's Marketplace 106.0
OfficeMax
271.3
Giant Food Landover
53.7
Fred Meyer Stores
172.0
Stop & Shop
52.7
Shopko Stores
82.0
Giant Food Carlisle
53.7
Best Buy
63.5
Target Stores
92.8
Office Depot
313.9
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011 Vs. Year Ago
Change Vs.
Year Ago
+106.4
+94.0
+55.6
+37.3
+36.8
+35.3
+34.0
+30.5
+25.5
+25.5
+23.5
% Chg Vs.
Year Ago
+30%
+782%
+26%
+227%
+27%
+203%
+71%
+132%
+67%
+38%
+8%
Retailers Running Fewer July School & Office Ads
# of School
& Office Ads
Change Vs.
Year Ago
% Chg Vs.
Year Ago
Weis Markets
22.7
-46.8
-67%
City Market
54.0
-42.5
-44%
Jewel-Osco
149.0
-41.1
-22%
53.0
-37.5
-41%
157.3
-32.9
-17%
Rite Aid
75.1
-32.7
-30%
Hilander
21.0
-32.5
-61%
Owen's Market
21.0
-32.5
-61%
Retailer
King Soopers
Walgreens
Scott's Food & Pharmacy
Shoppers Drug Mart
Pathmark
Meijer
BTS ad support
due to increases -61%
at
21.0 grew overall-32.5
major players
108.0 including Staples,
-32.0 OfficeMax, Office
-23%
Depot, Best
Buy and Target.-25.9
But most retail banners
43.1
-38%
ran fewer 69.0
School & Office ads
-25.5vs. BTS-2010. -27%
Kinney Drugs
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011 Vs. Year Ago
77.8
-25.0
-24%
Top Promoted School & Office Manufacturers
Weighted Share of School & Office Supply Ad Blocks
Private Brand Manufacturer
15.6%
MeadWestvaco
8.8%
Sanford Corp.
8.6%
Hewlett Packard
8.0%
Crayola LLC.
5.8%
Texas Instruments
4.9%
Avery Dennison
4.4%
Bic Corporation
3.9%
Eastman Kodak Company
3.4%
Elmer's Products, Inc
2.9%
Fiskars Brands, Inc.
2.0%
Canon
2.0%
3M
1.9%
VF Corporation
1.8%
Targus, Inc.
1.7%
Source: ECRM
Wenger North America
1.6%
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Top Promoted School & Office Brands for BTS
Private Brand
HP (Hewlett Packard)
Crayola
Five-Star
Texas Instruments
Avery
Kodak
Bic
Sharpie
Papermate
Mead
Elmer's
Fiskars
Canon
JanSport
Targus
SwissGear
Weighted Share of School & Office Supply Ad Blocks
15.6%
8.0%
5.8%
5.7%
4.9%
4.4%
3.4%
3.1%
3.1%
3.1%
2.6%
2.4%
1.9%
1.9%
1.8%
1.7%
Source: ECRM
1.6%
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Promotion Types Across Key Retailers
Price Point
N for $
Buy N Get X
Save X%
Other Promo
Price Point
N for $
Buy N Get X
Save X%
Other Promo
Ofc Dep
OfcMax
Staples
Walmart
Target
Kmart
58.0%
6.0%
1.0%
19.0%
16.0%
51.0%
12.0%
3.0%
9.0%
25.0%
91.0%
100.0%
97.0%
3.0%
80.0%
2.0%
2.0%
13.0%
3.0%
Walgreens
CVS
77.0%
10.0%
8.0%
4.0%
1.0%
9.0%
29.0%
47.0%
11.0%
4.0%
5.0%
4.0%
Rite Aid Jewel-Osco Kroger
Safeway
13.0%
12.0%
40.0%
34.0%
1.0%
73.0%
9.0%
84.0%
16.0%
87.0%
3.0%
10.0%
18.0%
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Includes All School Supplies
Retailers Running the Most
School & Office Web Promotions
# of BTS Web Promos
Staples
309
OfficeMax
226
Target Stores
105
Rite Aid
92
Fred Meyer Stores
66
Best Buy
65
Office Depot
64
Toys - R - Us
60
Sam's Club
58
Walgreens
42
Kmart
39
CVS
31
Jay C Stores
23
# of BTS Web Promos
Pay Less
23
Ralph's
23
Smith's Food & Drug 23
Owen's Market
23
King Soopers
23
Sears
22
Fry's Food & Drug
21
Hilander
21
BI-LO
20
H.G. Hills Food Stores 20
Walmart-US
20
Quality Food Centers 20
Source: ECRM, 11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
School & Office Manufacturers with the
Most BTS Retail Web Promotions
3M
MeadWestvaco
Sanford Corp.
Hewlett Packard
Crayola LLC.
Day Runner, Inc.
Bic Corporation
Texas Instruments
Avery Dennison
Brother International Corp.
Epson America Inc.
International Paper
Acco Brands Inc.
Wenger North America
Xerox Corporation
Elmer's Products, Inc
Lexmark International, Inc
17.9%
5.9%
5.6%
5.1%
Share of (un-weighted)
4.6%
School & Office Retailer
4.1%
Web Promotions
3.4%
1.4%
1.1%
1.0%
0.7%
0.7%
0.6%
0.5%
0.5%
0.5%
0.4%
7 companies dominate
retailer web promotions
during the BTS season.
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Top Promoted Brands
Across Key School & Office Categories
Top Promoted Brands in Notebooks & Pads
Weighted Share of Retail Ad Blocks
Five-Star
42.8%
Private Brand
30.9%
Mead
Top Flight
18.3%
3.1%
Ampad
1.1%
Tops
0.7%
Oxford
0.7%
Hilroy
0.5%
Carolina Pad… 0.4%
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Top Promoted Writing Instrument Brands
Weighted Share of Retail Ad Blocks
Papermate
31.6%
Bic
19.2%
Pilot
11.1%
Dixon
10.7%
Private Brand
8.0%
Uni-Ball
5.0%
Sharpie
4.9%
Pentel
Write Bros.
Zebra
Sarasa
RSVP
2.5%
2.0%
1.3%
0.8%
0.7%
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Top Promoted Paper Brands
Weighted Share of Retail Ad Blocks
Private Brand
37.3%
Georgia-Pacific
15.1%
Five-Star
12.9%
Hammermill
12.4%
HP (Hewlett Packard)
PrintWorks
Top Flight
Boise
Includes Filler Paper,
Excludes Photo Paper
10.1%
4.2%
3.6%
2.5%
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Top Promoted Brands in Binders, Pocket
Portfolios, and Sheet Protectors
Weighted Share of Retail Ad Blocks
Avery
53.8%
Five-Star
14.8%
Private Brand
12.7%
Pro Platinum
6.0%
Mead
5.5%
Hilroy
1.9%
Wilson Jones
1.6%
Oxford
1.0%
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Top Promoted Office Equipment Brands
Weighted Share of Retail Ad Blocks
Texas Instruments
51.3%
Private Brand
20.9%
P-Touch
Mighty Might
Casio
TI-Nspire
7.3%
4.4%
3.7%
2.5%
Fellowes
1.8%
Dymo
1.6%
Powershred
1.0%
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Top Promoted Tapes & Adhesives Brands
Weighted Share of Retail Ad Blocks
Elmer's
56.3%
Scotch
15.3%
RoseArt
9.6%
Private Brand
Avery
Command
Scholastic
8.4%
3.2%
1.9%
1.1%
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Top Promoted Brands in Business Bags, Cases, and
Accessories
Weighted Share of Retail Ad Blocks
Targus
24.2%
SwissGear
22.9%
InCase
14.4%
Private Brand
12.0%
Speck
9.0%
SOLO
7.6%
HP (Hewlett
Packard)
3.6%
Golla
3.6%
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Top Promoted Brands in Backpacks, School
Bags, and Lunch Kits
Weighted Share of Retail Ad Blocks
Private Brand
20.9%
JanSport
20.6%
Yak Pak
7.3%
Adidas
5.4%
High Sierra
4.1%
Nike
4.0%
Disney
3.8%
FUL
2.3%
Hawk Apparel
2.1%
Skechers
2.1%
Source: ECRM
11 Weeks Ending 9/17/2011
Methodology
• Retail ad support measured by number of ad blocks in retailer print
circulars. Ad share is weighted by retailer size.
• Ad counts branded & private label products, but not unbranded.
• 11-Week Period Ending 9/17/2011 Vs. Year Ago
• U.S. & Canadian Retailers
• Excludes Computers & Luggage Categories
• ECRM’s MarketGate Ad Comparisons
Web Site: www.AdCompare.MarketGate.com
Studies on Seasonal & Category Promotions: www.PromotionalReflections.com
Contacts:
Scott Whalley
Tom Pirovano
847-482-1793
440-528-0418
scott@ecrm.marketgate.com
tpirovano@ecrm.marketgate.com