• April 2, 2003

Closeout retailer Big Lots launched a $50 million advertising campaign, its first nationwide effort. It includes four 30-second TV commercials produced by Columbus, Ohio-based SBC Advertising. The ads feature actor Jerry Van Dyke, who has been Big Lots spokesman for five years. There is also a commercial targeting the Hispanic consumer that will run in Spanish on Univision, Telemundo and TeleFutura. "The national TV campaign will feature commercials highlighting the closeout moment - the excitement and thrill of the Big Lots shopping experience. This strategy will enable stores in all of our markets to benefit from television exposure," said Chairman/CEO Michael Potter. Big Lots has in the past two years converted all its stores - Pic 'N' Save, Mac Frugal's and Odd Lots - into a national brand and remodeled nearly half of its 1,350 stores in 45 states.