Staples Turns Apprentice Product Into Reality
Consumers by the dozens jammed Internet lines to be among the first to own the Staples “Desk Apprentice” desk caddy—the featured product on NBC’s hit The Apprentice last week. In the first 15 minutes, 1,000 units were sold online.
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| Apprentice fans can buy the Magna teams’ winning product—the Desk Apprentice—at Staples |
“It’s selling like crazy,” said Todd Peters, VP-corporate branding for Staples, Inc. “Mark Burnett and NBC really delivered on their promise [for great results]. We’re very pleased.”
During the show, Staples aired a 15-second spot featuring a man surrounded by piles of papers and folders, which topple over him. The ad introduces the Staples Desk Apprentice and directs viewers to
Staples.com.
The desk caddy, which features The Apprentice branding on the packaging, sits on a 360-degree swivel base and includes storage areas for everyday supplies. The product retails for $34.99.
The effort marks the first time a retailer manufactured a product created by Apprentice candidates and made it available to consumers immediately after the episode aired. Other brands, including the Burger King Corp., also found success bringing Apprentice-made products to the market place.
In January, Burger King launched a new sandwich—the Western Angus Steak Burger—featured on the show and sold it the next day. As a result, the QSR sold more than 1.2 million burgers during the two-week promotion.
In the latest episode, Apprentice candidates were asked to develop a new office product for Staples to help make desk organization easy. As part of the task, team members worked with designers and manufacturers and presented their final product to Staples executives and a focus group of office managers for critique.
The Net Worth team designed a storage table on wheels with a clear top lid, shelves and compartments called “The Packrat.” The creation missed the mark with Staples executives and office managers. Team Magna’s desk caddy, however, made such an impression on Staples executives and the focus group, the company decided to manufacture the product.
“That was an absolute bonus,” Peters said. “We were pleasantly surprised [the candidates] came out with a product in the end. It built on the momentum of the show and is driving eyeballs to the Web site. There’s definite buzz.”
And so far, the effort proved its worth. By mid-day Friday, the Staples Desk Apprentice sold out online. Consumers can log on to Staples.com/apprentice and enter their e-mail address to learn when the product will be restocked. Staples distributed a limited supply of the product to its stores nationwide.
Staples became the latest brand featured in a brand integration deal on the hit reality show. Staples executives agreed to the deal because the show serves the company’s target demographic—consumers 25 to 54—and would help extend its message of “making things easier for the customer” beyond the traditional 30-second spot, Peters said.
“It seemed like a really good opportunity to get more of our message out there,” he added said. “We wanted to leverage as much of the fan base of the show and transfer it to Staples.”
The Apprentice task aired the same week Staples launched its Invention Quest contest, which offers inventors a chance to create their own office product to make work life easier. The Invention Quest, which began April 19, will award the top winner $25,000 with the chance to earn royalties should Staples develop and sell the product (PROMO Xtra, April 21).
Consumers can enter the contest, which runs through June 1, in store or online at Staples.com/IQ. The winner will be announced in the fall. Internet materials support.
