DELRAY BEACH, FL – This week, Office Depot kicks off its latest advertising effort with a series of new television commercials targeted to small business customers. The campaign is designed to show how Office Depot finds ways to help small businesses by illustrating the role the brand plays in their lives.

The spots (in :30 and :15 lengths) capitalize on the company’s well-established, two-year old tag line, “What you need. What you need to know.” However, the advertising has evolved to better reflect the personality of the brand through a series of stories that helps highlight the different ways Office Depot meets the needs of small business customers.

“Small business owners and their employees are passionate about what they do. They are determined to succeed, but consistently fear that they won’t because of fewer resources, less time and tight budgets,” said Jocelyn Carter-Miller, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer at Office Depot. “Our new advertising is intended to show how Office Depot can drive success by being both a resource and office products solutions provider.”

In a series of four new television ads created by BBDO New York, individual products and services are highlighted which, when taken together, demonstrate how Office Depot helps its customers do business, better. For example, in one :30 spot (“So Fired”), an office employee frets that she will be fired if she cannot replace the toner required to print out an important presentation. But thanks to Office Depot’s “Ink Depot” -- with its wide selection of products, dedicated customer service representative and low prices -- not only is she able to purchase the toner, she positions herself for a raise.

A second :30 spot (“Ringer”) is set at a company softball game that is interrupted by an on-field argument when one side claims the batter is a ringer. Turns out, the batter works for Office Depot, which helped set up that team’s entire office with computers, desk chairs and more. So, in a manner of speaking, he does work for the company. (“He does a lot more than Hanson,” says one of the players, pointing to the runner on first). After discussion, the other team agrees to let him bat, but only if he plays for them, too, since he helped supply computers to their company.

A third spot (“Makeover,” :30) pokes fun at so-called reality “makeover” programs. In this commercial, a small business owner named JoAnn is miraculously “transformed” when she turns to Office Depot to help give her company the “ultimate makeover.” Equipped with new computers, cordless phones and office furniture, JoAnn boasts how Office Depot’s total office solutions “absolutely changed my life.”

Finally, a :15 spot called “Office Depot Man,” playfully focuses on how customers can shop online, by phone or in-store and Office Depot will deliver the next day…free. The commercial shows business customers running after an Office Depot delivery vehicle as it makes its way down the street, to make the point, “When you can’t get to Office Depot, Office Depot comes to you.” Of course, accompanying the Office Depot vehicle are the familiar sounds of an ice cream truck.

The campaign is scheduled to debut the week of September 29 and will be seen on both network and cable television across a variety of dayparts. Spots will appear in shows such as “Good Morning America,” “Nightline,” “NYPD Blue,” and “According to Jim,” as well as on cable networks including: A&E, CNBC, Lifetime and more.

Hispanic television advertising is also planned to air the end of October, focusing on similar Office Depot small business solutions.

ABOUT OFFICE DEPOT:
With annual sales of nearly $13 billion, no one sells more products to more customers in more countries than Office Depot. The company, founded in 1986 and headquartered in Delray Beach, FL, employs nearly 50,000 people worldwide.

Office Depot is an industry leader in every distribution channel – from retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce. The company is the world’s number two online retailer – on target to generate $2.5B in sales for FY’03.

In North America, Office Depot has more than 870 retail stores in addition to a national business-to-business delivery network supported by 24 delivery centers, more than 60 local sales offices and 13 regional call centers.

The company’s common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ODP and is included in the S&P 500 Index.

Additional press information can be found at: mediarelations.officedepot.com.

ABOUT BBDO NEW YORK:
BBDO New York is the flagship office of BBDO Worldwide, the third largest global agency network. In 2001, BBDO New York was named “Agency of the Year” by Creativity magazine. This was followed in 2002 by SHOOT’s selection as “Agency of the Year.” BBDO New York clients include: AOL, Bayer, Campbell Soup, Cingular Wireless, DuPont, FedEx, Frito-Lay, GE, Gillette, Guinness, HBO, Masterfoods USA, New York Stock Exchange, Office Depot, PeopleSoft, Pepsi-Cola, Pfizer, Pizza Hut and Visa, among others.

Office Depot, Inc.

Office Depot, Inc.

Office Depot provides more office products and services to more customers in more countries than any other company. Incorporated in 1986 and headquartered in Delray Beach, Fla., Office Depot has annual sales of nearly $15 billion, and employs approximately 50,000 associates around the world. Currently, the Company sells to customers directly or through affiliates in 42 countries. Office Depot is a leader in every distribution channel -- from retail stores and contract delivery to catalogs and e-commerce. Office Depot serves a wide range of customers through a dedicated sales force, telephone account managers, direct mail offerings, and multiple web sites.

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