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Best Buy To Wal-Mart: Our Associates Know More Than Yours

  • Ad Age, Wednesday, June 17, 2009 11:15 AM
Best Buy may have cut advertising expenses as same-store sales and profits fell (while market share improved) in the first quarter, but it was also busy concocting a TV spot that directly challenges Wal-Mart clerks' knowledge about the products they sell.

In "True Stories," a Best Buy associate talks about a customer who calls with some questions about a TV. It turns out he's a Wal-Mart employee, Natalie Zmuda reports. "You're obviously calling us because we're knowledgeable," the associate tells the Wal-Mart guy. "We've got the price match guarantee, so why don't you come on in?"

Best Buy CMO Barry Judge says the ad is an illustration of the retailer's point of differentiation. "If you can't grow as easily because the markets are not necessarily going up, you've got to play for share, and when people are playing for share, they're getting more aggressive in their messaging," he says.

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