• by Larissa Faw , February 19, 2021

Walmart subsidiary Sam’s Club has appointed VMLY&R its first agency of record following a competitive pitch.

The account was put in review in order to consolidate of a variety of agency roles under one single partner.

The review was also reportedly driven by “conflict issues” after one of its agency partners Mono returned to the roster of rival Target.

VMLY&R will begin work in March 2021 to lead the development of a new brand platform, creative, and omnichannel strategy.

While the agency declines to discuss creative direction in depth, VMLY&R says it will build on the current brand promise to “Expect Something Special” and bring it to life in a way that appeals to Sam’s Club’s diverse member base. The agency will also “encourage advocacy” for the brand.

“Sam’s Club is a $60 billion business with a ton of momentum,” says Tony Rogers, Chief Member Officer of Sam’s Club. “And it’s accelerating. We were looking for a world-class agency that could help us fuel even more growth.”

Rogers has helped to transform the company since starting in his newly created role in 2018. In recent years, Sam’s Club has upped its technology capabilities including introducing the Scan and Go option that allows its members to skip the checkout line.

More recently, Sam’s Club has focused on its online delivery. For the first time during the 2020 holiday season, more than 100 Sam’s Club stores fulfilled internet orders and shipped them directly to customers, which the chain expected to account for a fifth of all online orders, reports NY Post. The company is also refreshing its brand in clubs and increasing its investment in social media.

The chain operates some 600 locations across the country. The review was managed by agency search consultancy Select Resources International.