Staples has rolled out a new back-to-school campaign with Bensimon Byrne to help Canadian families feel more confident when choosing devices and tech for their children.

Instead of focusing on traditional back-to-school messaging around price or features, Staples built the campaign around five student personas, including entrepreneurs, filmmakers and developers. The retailer then matched each persona with tailored devices and product recommendations to help overwhelmed parents navigate the category and better understand which technology best supports their children’s interests and goals.

Image courtesy of Staples

Bensimon Byrne then amplified the reach of these back-to-school personas by developing an integrated campaign across film, social, digital and in-store. The opportunity came from new research conducted by Staples earlier this year, which found that 73% of parents surveyed believe that technology bolsters their children’s creativity, but only 42% felt confident in selecting the right devices.

“Rather than focusing on individual products or promotions, we wanted to demonstrate the role we play in helping families navigate what can be an intimidating and complex category,” Staples’ VP of marketing Debbie Lai tells strategy. “Technology purchases can feel overwhelming, so highlighting the expertise and guidance we provide was ultimately more valuable than simply highlighting tech specifications or price points.”

Lai says that Staples landed on the personas as the creative concept for the campaign because every student has different interests, ambitions and technology needs. Organizing the campaign around these student lifestyles also allows the brand to connect with families on a deeper level and demonstrate how it can support Canadians through the entire back-to-school season.

While awareness, in-store traffic and sales will be key metrics, Lai says the broader objective is to reinforce that Staples has evolved beyond school and office supplies. Its offering now spans technology, services and productivity solutions designed to support learning year-round.

“Our back-to-school campaign is helping us reshape perceptions about our brand by showing how Staples makes navigating today’s learning and technology needs easy,” says Lai. “It brings our ‘That Was Easy’ promise to life, while reinforcing our role as a trusted partner that Canadians can turn to year-round.”

Bensimon Byrne led all strategic and creative development, with Golin handling PR, The Influence Agency leading social and Mekanism managing media.