Ace Reminds Shoppers Why It’s Still the Place

Debuting across television and digital channels, the new advertising push features real-life owners, associates, and customers of the brand

Ace Hardware has rolled out a new advertising push, which was developed by Chicago agency, O’Keefe Reinhard & Paul, to leverage its signature Ace is the Place jingle as the campaign’s backdrop. The exercise features real-life owners, associates, and customers of the brand.

With the familiar tune serving as the soundtrack, the lyrics have been customised in humorous and memorable ways to highlight how the marque’s exceptional service, expertise, brands, and product selection help consumers succeed with their home maintenance and repair projects.

The agency surveyed over 100 retailers and employees for instances of customer requests to showcase how Ace associates travel the extra mile. A variety of examples was selected to demonstrate how assistance is offered with tasks such as lawn and garden projects, paint selection, and bug infestations, to name a few.

Debuting across television, audio, and digital channels nationwide, the initiative entails more than 30 videos filmed at stores in three cities—Houston, Orlando, and Chicago—starring 25 Ace owners and associates as well as 40 actual customers. The spots were developed to support seasonal offerings.

With a main focus on four specific categories namely paint, lighting, lawn, and garden, the executions depict the hardware giant’s unique mix of the brands to include Craftsman, Scotts, Valspar, and Weber. A combination of 15- and 30-second spots is scheduled to air countrywide via select television networks.

The chosen platforms include CBS, USA Network, HGTV, Food Network, and ESPN, among others. Additional commercials have been mapped out for terrestrial and streaming radio frequencies like Spotify and Pandora, with companion banners also set to launch.

Online videos will be released on Hulu and YouTube with media integrations slated to feature on Animal Planet, 120 Sports, DirecTV, and more. The push will be extended across select consumer touch points to encompass social media, circulars, direct mail as well as local market TV, audio, and display templates.

“We set out to accomplish something no other retailer can do, We showcase our three greatest differentiators—our people, our brand and our jingle—in a truly authentic way,” said John Surane, Executive Vice President of Merchandising, Marketing and Sales at Ace Hardware Corporation.