Bed Bath & Beyond Selects Muh-tay-zik Hof-fer as Lead Brand Agency

Bed Bath & Beyond has selected Muh-tay-zik Hof-fer as its lead brand agency following a review. The decision comes less than a year after Bed Bath & Beyond named Cindy Davis as its chief brand officer. Davis joined the company last year after serving as evp and chief digital marketing officer for L Brands, which owns Bath & Body Works and Victoria’s Secret. She also serves as president of Decorist, an online interior design service that Bed Bath & Beyond acquired in 2017. “The marketing team at Bed Bath & Beyond is top-notch. Everyone expects and demands the best—and that’s exactly what we plan to deliver for them,” Matt Hofherr, co-founder and chief strategy officer at Muh-tay-zik Hof-fer, said in a statement. “The home has never played a more important role in consumer’s lives. We can’t wait to share the exciting things Bed Bath & Beyond is working on with consumers.” Muh-tay-zik Hof-fer, based in San Francisco, was acquired by London-based VCCP in 2016. Last year, the agency won creative and strategic work for Sonos in partnership with VCCP New York. John Matejczyk, its co-founder, CEO and chief creative officer, stepped down from the agency in 2020 after a 12-year run. Bed Bath & Beyond has made two additional agency appointments. The retailer selected M Booth, a communications firm, as its agency of record for corporate and consumer PR. It also selected We Are Social as the lead social media agency for Buy Buy Baby, one of a handful of chains owned by the retailer. A new way forward for Bed Bath & Beyond According to Bed Bath & Beyond, Muh-tay-zik Hof-fer and M Booth will be responsible for helping the company roll out its new customer value proposition: "Unlock the Magic in Every Room." A spokesperson for Bed Bath & Beyond said the agency selections are not a result of the creative and media review that the retailer reportedly began in 2019. It’s not clear who handles media planning and buying for the brand. Bed Bath & Beyond’s New Design Service Brings the Dorm Room Home “After a comprehensive review of the best and brightest in the industry, we’re delighted to announce the appointment of these world-class, award-winning agencies to join our expanding team,” Davis said in a statement. Davis added that the new agencies “showed the passion, insights and creative flair that will inspire our digital-first customers in new ways, create excitement around our value proposition and increase relevance and connection with our brands.” In recent years, the company has worked with Evolution Bureau, an agency based in Oakland, California, on creative campaigns. One such campaign poked fun at society’s collective obsession with online shopping by highlighting the oft-forgotten perks of actually walking into a store, like being able to actually take something home with you after buying it instead of waiting for it to ship. Planning post-Covid Like many retailers, Bed Bath & Beyond’s stores have struggled throughout the past year due to the lockdowns and closures spurred by Covid-19. Last week, the company said its comparable in-store sales dropped 15% during its third quarter, which ended in November. However, its comparable digital sales were up 77%. In July, the company said it plans to close 200 locations, most of which will be its namesake Bed Bath & Beyond stores, over the next two years. Under the leadership of CEO Mark Tritton, who joined Bed Bath & Beyond in 2019, the company has been in the midst of a transformation that involves store redesigns, investment in omnichannel services and the launch of new private-label brands. In addition to its agency shakeup, Bed Bath & Beyond has added two marketing leaders to its ranks. Kristi Argyilan has joined as svp of brand innovation, while Jim Reath is serving as svp of marketing. Argyilan previously served as president of Roundel, Target’s media company. Reath formerly worked at Macy’s as svp of marketing. Private Labels Make Noise, Creating Market Share Opportunity for Store Brands