the home depot - imc plan (october 2014)
TRANSCRIPT
Integrated Marketing
Communications Plan
Ashley Peterson
October 2014 West Virginia University
Page | 2
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer with over 2,200
stores, stands strong with a top position in the home improvement industry,
competing directly with Lowe’s and the like as well as local shops. Since its
beginnings in 1978, The Home Depot has successfully served two main
customer groups, professional/contractor and non-professional, with its wide
range of products and services, focusing their efforts to be the retailer of choice
for Do-It-Yourself projects.
With the constant change in technology over the years, ultimately leading change
in the expectations of the contemporary customer, The Home Depot has had to
stay at the forefront of innovation to remain competitive. By adding digital media
to their marketing mix, including increased social media presence and a mobile
application, along with their established traditional tactics, sponsorships, and
partnerships, the retailer has been able to keep their brand top of mind for
current and potential customers.
Research of The Home Depot has indicated that, in addition to their strength in
advertising and digital, the retailer has a very strong public relations platform in
the wake of uncontrollable circumstances. In contrast, with stakeholders having a
weakened sense of The Home Depot’s corporate responsibility efforts, the
overall brand built by leadership is not fully recognized by its publics. Also, with a
lack of efforts focused around drawing in and keeping the non-professional
customer, the retailer has room to better incent customers in the market for their
products and services to visit The Home Depot before its national and local
competitors.
This integrated marketing campaign has been designed to ensure that The Home
Depot adopts an increased use of sales promotions to gain and maintain non-
professional customers while also ensuring that all stakeholders are fully aware
of its dedication to its eight core values, which revolve around their customers,
employees, the environment, and the communities in their footprint.
Page | 3
Table of contents
4 Background
9 SWOT Analysis
13 Target Audience
16 The Campaign: #DIYWithLove
16 Campaign Overview
17 Creative Strategy
18 Creative Brief & Sample Creative
21 Paid Media Plan
24 Public Relations Plan
28 Direct Marketing Plan
30 Sales Promotion Plan
32 Measurement & Evaluation
34 Conclusion
35 Appendix A: Sample Print Creative
36 Appendix B: Media Flowchart
37 Appendix C: References
Page | 4
Background
History
In 1978, Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank founded The Home Depot, a retailer designed
to provide a one-stop shopping experience for the do-it-yourselfer. On June 22, 1979,
the first two Home Depot locations were opened in Atlanta, Georgia, the home of the
retailer’s headquarters. Today, the store offers up to 40,000 products across
departments in building materials, home improvement supplies, appliances and lawn
and garden in each of its 2,264 stores across the United States, Canada, and Mexico
(“Corporate and Financial Overview,” 2014).
Leadership
On August 21st, The Home Depot followed up to an announcement made earlier this
year, confirming that current U.S. Retail President Craig Menear will replace CEO Frank
Blake effective November 1st. Menear, who has held multiple roles within the company
since 2007, currently “oversees the company’s supply chain network, global sourcing
and vendor management, as well as its marketing and digital business” (Sharf, 2014).
An October 2014 announcement revealed that current Executive Vice President - U.S.
Stores, Marvin Ellison, will be taking the role of CEO of JCPenney effective November
1st (D’Innocenzio, 2014, Oct. 13). Taking his place will be Marc Powers, the current
Senior Vice President – Operations, who has almost 30 years of experience with The
Home Depot, starting in 1986 as an hourly store associate (“The Home Depot Names”,
2014, Oct. 20).
The Home Depot’s Corporate and Financial Overview outlines the leadership reporting
to the CEO, including a host of senior leaders overseeing the various key functions and
regions within the retailer’s footprint (2014).
Mission & Core Values
According to its Investor FAQ responses, “The Home Depot is in the home improvement
business and our goal is to provide the highest level of service, the broadest selection of
products and the most competitive prices” (2014). The core values of The Home Depot
revolve around this mission, exemplifying the retailer’s dedication to all stakeholders,
from customers to employees to investors to the communities around them. These eight
core values include:
Page | 5
Excellent customer service Creating shareholder value
Taking care of our people Respect for all people
Giving back Entrepreneurial spirit
Doing the "right" thing Building strong relationships
Leadership of The Home Depot credit the company’s dedication to these core values as
a driver of their competitive advantage in the home improvement space (“Our
Company,” 2014).
Current Financial Situation and Outlook
On their Q2 Earnings Call, The Home Depot reported earnings above expectations.
With a Q2 revenue of $23.8 billion, a 5.7% increase year-over-year, driven by increases
in comparable store sales and number of customer transactions and average tickets,
The Home Depot made the decision to increase its full-year earnings forecast by 20.2%
(McGrath, 2014). Affected by a severe winter, Home Depot credits part of the Q2 lift to
homeowners needing to repair weather-related damages and anticipates a very strong
second half as seasonal home improvements begin (“Home Depot says,” 2014).
Current Marketing Strategy
The Home Depot, as explained in the “Our Company” overview (2014), prides itself in
providing the following product and service guarantees for their customers:
Diverse Product Mix: The Home Depot provides up to 40,000 different kinds of
products across their various departments. Product categories at the retailer
include: Appliances, Bath & Faucets, Blinds & Décor, Building Materials, Doors &
Windows, Electrical, Flooring & Area Rugs, Heating & Cooling, Kitchen, Lawn &
Garden, Lighting & Ceiling Fans, Outdoor Living, Paint, Plumbing, Storage &
Organization, and Tools & Hardware. As can be seen by the list of categories
available, customers of The Home Depot have a one-stop shop for projects of
any size, from building a house from its foundation to accessorizing any space,
as envisioned by its founders.
Specialization of product offerings: As a retailer that spans across North
America, The Home Depot ensures that they are catering to the needs of their
various markets, localizing product selections based on specific market needs.
Page | 6
Competitive Pricing: The Home Depot promotes “Nobody Beats Our Prices”,
offering customers the ability to beat competitor pricing by 10% if they were to
find an identical, in-stock item from other local retailers with limited exclusions.
Items on their website include “New Lower Price” icons to support reduced prices
across the store.
Special Order Availability: The Home Depot “extends the aisles” with the
convenient Special Order Program by allowing customers to place special orders
of about 250,000 products directly from the manufacturer that are not stocked in
their physical locations. Customers can work with store associates to check the
availability of their requested product, check the status of their order online and,
depending on the product, pick it up at the store or have it delivered to their
home.
Home Services: To assist in home installation services, The Home Depot has a
network of experienced, licensed and insured contractors that are available to
customers needing services including exterior home; heating, cooling, &
electrical; flooring; kitchen; doors & windows; and décor. On top of providing a
minimum one-year labor warranty, The Home Depot also provides the MyInstall
online application for customers to manage and track all aspects of their
installation projects.
Professional Contractor Services: The Home Depot’s contractor customers
have special access to the Pro Xtra loyalty program, pro bid rooms for large
customer orders, direct ship programs, and credit programs.
Special non-professional customer offerings: Every weekend, locations offer
free how-to workshops for customers in the following categories: Do-It-Yourself,
Do-It-Herself, and Kids. By going on the website, customers can see what
workshops are available at their local Home Depot as well as register for the
workshop of their choice.
Current CEO Frank Blake, upon taking the role, led a large renovation for the retailer,
which included billions of dollars in investments to better the company’s supply chain
and technology system, allowing more associates to work on the floor with customers
instead of in the backrooms. Also included in this renovation was the building of new
distribution centers and advancement of their e-commerce presence, as they look to
reach more customers online (Banjo, 2014).
The Home Depot runs TV commercials, print ads in trade magazines, and local sales
promotion ads to customers. The retailer is reaching customers through their website,
which also has a mobile version, The Home Depot app, and social media including
Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest and Tumblr. Through interaction with all touch
points, customers remain aware of happenings at their local stores, the retailer from a
corporate perspective, and the various projects that they can take on using the wide
range of products and services available at The Home Depot.
Page | 7
The Home Depot’s most recent campaign, “Let’s Do This”, encourages customers to
take on various DIY projects as well as share them on its social media platforms using a
hashtag of the same name. The campaign logo, the signature orange bucket found in its
locations, tapped into the retailer’s brand identity.
Corporate Responsibility
In 2002, The Home Depot Foundation was established with the mission of “Improving
Homes. Improving Lives.” The retailer’s charitable arm has since partnered with local
organizations, provided grants, and leveraged Team Depot, associates volunteering
their time towards the causes, to repair and refurbish homes of families and individuals
in need. These efforts have included disaster relief and striving towards a commitment
of $80 million to supporting the housing needs of U.S. veterans and their families
between 2011 and 2016.
In addition to the specific efforts of the Foundation, The Home Depot is also committed
to environmental wellness, employing consumer education programs, carrying “green”
products in their stores, and overall dedication to creating a sustainable environment for
years to come (“Corporate Responsibility”, 2014). With the Framing Hope program, a
partnership with Good360, each The Home Depot location is able to select a local
community-based non-profit organization to which they will donate home improvement
products and building supplies that are no longer being sold by the retailer across a
year-long time frame. The Home Depot is also a key partner for The Red Cross
(“Partnerships”, 2014).
Competition & Macroeconomics
Operating in the home improvement space, The Home Depot is the world’s largest
home improvement retailer, as well as the fourth and fifth largest retailer in the U.S. and
the world, respectively (“Our Company,” 2014). The two key competitors in this space
are Lowe’s and Ace Hardware, the former bringing the biggest competition.
The success of The Home Depot and its competitors is highly dependent on the
housing market. According to a review by The Associated Press (2014), the current
housing market is rebounding after severe winter conditions weakened its stability early
this year. Existing home sales are up 2.4%, new home construction was up 15.7% in
July paired with confidence amongst homebuilders, and affordability amongst housing
Page | 8
prices is increasing. New homebuyers, which are key to the strengthening of the
market, only made up 29% of sales in July compared to the average 40%, but, as the
jobs market trends continue to increase, allowing more people to buy homes, this figure
is expected to increase as well (The Associated Press, 2014).
Page | 9
Swot analysis
Below is an analysis of The Home Depot’s current strengths, weaknesses, opportunities
and threats. The sections below the initial table provide additional insight into each
aspect of the analysis.
STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
World’s largest home improvement
retailer
Product/Service Offerings
Strong brand recognition
New CEO Announced
Customer-centric business model
Earnings above average
Change in leadership
Recent credit card breach
Lack of differentiation in products
OPPORTUNITIES THREATS
Weather
Services differentiation
Focus On The Female Population
Enhanced online & digital customer
experience
International expansion
Weather
Fickle nature of economy
High dependency on housing market
Competition
Page | 10
STRENGTHS
World’s largest home improvement retailer: With 2,264 stores across the United
States, Canada, and Mexico, The Home Depot prides itself in being the world’s
largest home improvement retailer, allowing customers across North America to
conveniently access the wide array of products and services offered by the retailer.
The Home Depot is also the fourth largest retailer in the U.S. and fifth largest in the
world.
Product/Service Offerings: In each of its stores that average 104,000 square feet
each, The Home Depot offers up to 40,000 products in the store plus an additional
250,000 that are available for special order. Installation services and how-to classes
for their DIY customers and special services for their professional customers through
their Contractor Services program add to this strong product mix.
Strong brand recognition: The Home Depot, due to its size and history in the
home improvement industry, enjoys a very strong brand identity in the eyes of
consumers, including its signature use of orange and slogan “More Saving. More
Doing.”, which are consistent across the retailer’s marketing efforts.
New CEO Announced: Craig Menear, current U.S. Retail President, has been
announced as the successor to current CEO Frank Blake. As a member of The
Home Depot team since 1997, Menear has the background and expertise in various
realms of the business to provide strong leadership moving forward.
Customer-centric business model: The Home Depot, based on its mission and
core values, has the number one goal to provide the highest level of service to their
customers through its various customer touchpoints, whether though store
associates or on online platforms.
Earnings above average: After a severe winter affecting sales for The Home Depot
at the beginning of the year, the high demand for home improvement projects in Q2
allowed the retailer to quickly bounce back and increase their projected earnings for
the year. For investors, this ability to rise from hard times is a positive indication of
the retailer’s strong position in the market.
WEAKNESSES
Change in leadership: Though the internal promotion of Craig Menear to CEO
stands as a strong point for The Home Depot, any change in leadership, including
Menear’s predecessor, is a possible risk for the company as it undergoes the
transition due to shifts in management style, experiences, and ideas that will be put
forth.
Page | 11
Recent Credit Card Breach: On September 2nd, The Home Depot found that they
were a victim to a widespread security breach of customer and credit card data. The
retailer was placed under instant scrutiny once the media released the news given
that this breach affected nearly all of their stores, making it the largest in recent
history. Since the initial finding, it is has been said that The Home Depot has enlisted
the help of the Secret Service, while also providing assurance to stakeholders that
new EMV (Europay, MasterCard and Visa) technology will be installed in all
terminals by the end of this year to increase the security of credit card transactions
(Reuters, 2014).
Lack of differentiation in products: As a home improvement retailer, there is very
little room for differentiation in product mix in comparison to its competitors. Outside
of the specific brands it carries, The Home Depot currently offers a very similar
product and service mix to its customers as its closest competitor, Lowe’s.
OPPORTUNITIES
Weather: As was shown with the rebound experienced by The Home Depot in Q2 of
this year, inclement weather serves as an opportunity for growth following
unexpected, severe weather patterns as home improvement needs become
necessary to homeowners.
Services differentiation: Because the home improvement space is built upon the
same departments offering the same products, large retailers like The Home Depot
are very limited in differentiation outside of the brands that they carry. The greatest
opportunity in this space lies in the offering of additional special services to their
customers.
Focus on the female population: With the home improvement industry being a
male-dominated space, The Home Depot has the opportunity to increase its
presence in the mind of the female population outside of typical home décor projects
through future marketing communications. As television channels and social and
digital media increase the DIY projects taken on in the household, The Home Depot
has the opportunity to position itself more to both genders as having the products
and services available to assist in all DIY projects, no matter the size.
Enhance the online & digital customer experience: As industries begin to adopt a
greater emphasis on digital customer experience models, consumers are adopting
higher expectations of retailers. The Home Depot, currently utilizing a website,
mobile application, and social media, have the room to increase the overall digital
experience for their customers as they go through purchasing decisions.
Page | 12
International expansion: Because The Home Depot has saturated the North
American market, the next step for expansion would be to go overseas, increasing
their footprint and becoming a competitor for international home improvement
retailers.
THREATS
Weather: On the other hand, even though the weather serves as an opportunity for
the retailer, severe, unexpected inclement weather can delay projected revenue
depending on the timing and the length of the weather pattern.
Fickle nature of economy: With the overall health of the U.S. economy constantly
changing, the level of disposable income among The Home Depot’s current and
potential customers can change unexpectedly. Without sufficient disposable income,
home improvement projects become “wants”, unless in an emergency situation due
to things such as severe weather conditions.
High dependency on housing market: Being in the home improvement industry,
The Home Depot’s success throughout the year depends heavily on the health of
the housing market. When home-buying is low, home improvement needs decrease,
and vice versa when home-buying is high. For this reason, it is very important for
consumers to see The Home Depot as a retailer dedicated to more than just major
renovations.
Competition: Though The Home Depot is the largest home improvement retailer,
other big-box retailers in the space such as Lowe’s and Ace Hardware still provide
competition by offering a myriad of products and services to satisfy a wide range of
home improvement needs. Outside of these catch-all competitors, retailers like
Lumber Liquidators as well as smaller businesses dedicated to specific home
improvement fields also provide competition for those customers in the market for a
specific project.
In sum, The Home Depot has a very strong place in the home improvement industry,
proven by its ability to provide high levels of customer service, maintain revenue
through hardships, and strategically compete to maintain its position. As a home
improvement retailer, The Home Depot is unfortunately subject to various economical
and weather-related instabilities but, while these cause temporary hardships, they also
provide opportunities for growth moving into the future. Through steadfast dedication to
their core values and moving forward taking on all relevant and reasonable
opportunities to rise above their competition, The Home Depot will be able uphold its
position in home improvement.
Page | 13
Target audience
Through its mission statement and product and service offerings, The Home Depot
identifies its target market as Do-It-Yourselfers and professional contractors. As each
generation moves toward an age where they are contemplating owning a home, The
Home Depot’s market increases, whether the new group is into DIY projects or will be in
the market for a contractor to complete home improvement projects for them. As shared
by Ted Marzilli (2014), CEO of BrandIndex, The Home Depot is breaking ground as the
lead amongst competitors Lowe’s and Ace Hardware in terms of value of offerings and
purchase consideration with dads with children under 18. In closest competition with
Lowe’s, these dads scored The Home Depot 42 vs. 41 in value and 53% of dads said
they’d consider the retailer vs. 48% looking to consider Lowe’s. Given this favor for The
Home Depot, the retailer has an opportunity to begin targeting Generation Y/Millennials,
as they will be the next wave of, not only parents, but upcoming home improvement
purchasers, whether it be for their apartments, townhomes and condominiums, or
houses.
Reason #1: Generation Y has a keen interest in DIY
According to Jeff Fromm (2014), Millennials, young adults under the age of 35, are
combining their interests in technology, entrepreneurism, and creativity to dominate the
DIY industry. With social media websites like Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest, this
group has an outlet to show off the projects that they create as well as search the
platforms for ideas from other users. Outside of the typical crafting, this group has a
desire to work with brands to create the products they want, citing 4 out of 10 would be
interested in co-creating products with companies. As a whole, this generation is
attracted to brands and companies that allow them to tap into this desire to “do-it-
yourself”, whether it is small arts and crafts or starting their own company.
Reason #2: Generation Y college graduates marry later, but will marry by age 40
Generation Y, unlike the generations before them, now view marriage as a step that
comes later in life after becoming more established, as opposed to being the early
starting point of a future with their significant other. In general, student loan debts and
unemployment amongst the demographic seemed to drive the change but studies have
shown that, while college graduates are more likely to be married before the age of 40
as opposed to non-college graduates, they often wait until later in life to give themselves
time to build on their career and financial stability. Though marriage is evidenced to
build wealth and income, Generation Y is more focused on personal stability first
(“Millennials,” 2014).
Page | 14
Reason #3: Generation Y is full of frugal, long-term shoppers
In a Bloomberg BusinessWeek article focused on the shopping habits of Millennials,
Claire Suddath (2014) outlined the following characteristics of the demographic based
on a recent Gen Y study by the Intelligence Group:
Over one-third only buys “necessary” purchases
Often enter the job market with debt close to the average starting salary
About three-fourths do online research prior to making a purchase
Often value access over ownership, for example, a Netflix subscription is valued
more than a DVD
Focus disposable income on travel and other emotionally-tied experiences
Look to buy durable products that will last through future trends
Are not expected to buy houses and raise families as their parents did after
seeing the financial effects of the recent recession first-hand
Companies, after seeing the spending habits and change in values of Gen Y, must
adjust their marketing strategies to keep the attention of this group that is currently
spending about $200 billion dollars per year and projected to spend double by the time
that they are the majority of the workforce in 2020.
Reason #4: Generation Y may or may not be in the market for a home
Though the outlook on the current housing market is favorable, Millennials are at an age
where they have to make a personal decision whether or not the time is right for buying
a home. Michael Corbett of Time magazine (2014) provided seven factors for
Generation Y to keep in mind in making the decision to buy instead of rent. These
included the decrease in relocation flexibility for a new position or promotion, the
possibility of not having enough money saved for a substantial down payment and other
costs associated with home-buying, and seeming like a risky loan requestor with other
debt including student loans, car loans, and credit card debt. Recognizing the risk
related to buying a home this early in life, once again, Millennials must understand their
personal situations to decide whether renting or buying is best for them.
Page | 15
Target Market Profile
Keeping the reasons above in mind about why today’s young adults would value the
mission and products of The Home Depot, the target audience opportunity embody the
following characteristics:
Millennial couples either living together or planning to in the near future
Age: 25-34
Bachelor’s Degree or higher
Occupation: Entry-level or lower-level management positions
Individual income average between $35,000 - $55,000
Geography: United States, specifically metropolitan and major cities
Now and moving into the near future, these young couples will provide the demographic
desired by The Home Depot’s DIY focus. In the meantime, as millennials are renting
and thinking about buying their first home, The Home Depot has the opportunity to
market to this demographic with inexpensive, less permanent DIY improvement ideas
for their smaller spaces as a build-up to bigger projects for their future home. As Craig
Menear moves into the role of CEO, his experience in digital will help to drive a
corporate strategy that will appeal to this younger population that is in tune with the
constant advancements in technology and expecting companies to be the same.
Page | 16
The campaign: #diywithlove
Campaign Marketing Objectives and Strategies
The marketing objectives to be accomplished by this overall integrated marketing
communications plan for The Home Depot are as follows:
1. Increase overall comparable store sales by 6.5% year-over-year
2. Increase awareness of The Home Depot among the Millennial target market by
25% in the next 12 months
3. Enhance overall customer experience to make The Home Depot the #1 choice in
home improvement for Millennial target market
4. Grow current customer base of DIY/non-professional consumers and
professional contractors by 10% in the next 12 months
5. Maintain 85% of current core customer base through expansion of offerings
within the next 12 months
The overarching marketing strategies to be implemented to accomplish the above
objectives include:
1. Conduct research to achieve greater understanding of wants and needs of
Millennial target market in home improvement and overall shopping experience
2. Leverage current digital customer touchpoints to enhance customer experience
throughout the complete consumer decision-making process
3. Utilize paid, owned, and earned media to establish The Home Depot as the top
choice among the Millennial target market for DIY projects
4. Employ public relations to ensure consumers’ understanding of The Home
Depot’s dedication to safety of customer data, sustainability, and corporate
responsibility efforts
5. Utilize sales promotions and direct marketing to drive increased traffic by
Millennial market and repeat traffic among current core customer base
6. Introduce additional service offerings to continue to attract core customer base
and Millennial target market
Page | 17
Integrated Creative Strategy Statement
With the above marketing strategy and objectives, the following creative strategy
statement will drive the focus of the #DIYWithLove campaign:
With The Home Depot, any project is possible!
To arrive at this final statement, the following rational and emotional factors were
considered to develop the list of potential creative strategy statements.
Based on the above factors, other creative strategy statements that were under
consideration included:
1. Always start your next project with The Home Depot!
2. With The Home Depot, any project is possible!
3. DIY on a budget? Head to The Home Depot!
4. Ready to Do-It-Yourself? The Home Depot can help!
5. No project is too big or too small for The Home Depot!
Rational Factors
•Top home improvement brand
•Strong product/service mix
•Highly dedicated to customers
•One-stop shopping
•DIY/How-To Workshops & Online Videos
•Affordable product options
•Core value of “Entrepreneurial Spirit”
Emotional Factors
•High desire to DIY
•Frugal/shop on a budget
•Inexpensive options are preferred
•Desire durable purchases to last through trends
•Want to make smaller living space feel like home
•Influenced by social media
Page | 18
Creative Brief
Client: The Home Depot Date: 10/20/14
Type: Television Commercial Pages: 1
______________________________________________________________________
Why are we advertising?
To increase the awareness of The Home Depot as a store for any size DIY project.
Whom are we talking to?
Millennial couples who are designing their new space together.
What do they currently think?
The Home Depot is the go-to home improvement retailer for professional contractors
and homeowners that need to complete major renovation projects.
What would we like them to think?
The Home Depot provides affordable products and services to assist all customers in
completing any kind of project, whether it is a small DIY project for a studio apartment or
remodeling a large home.
What is the single most persuasive idea we can convey?
The Home Depot should be the first stop for any DIY project.
Why should they believe it?
The Home Depot has always been the go-to choice for their family’s projects growing up
and, years later, still provides all that they need to complete any project they have in
mind.
Are there any creative guidelines?
Nostalgic emotional appeal through flashbacks, possibly containing music and/or
imagery from Millennials’ early years.
Page | 19
Sample Creative Execution
To illustrate the #DIYWithLove creative concept based on the above creative brief, the
sample creative execution below illustrates a 30-second TV spot via a storyboard.
Taking on the chosen target market of millennial couples, the TV spot will illustrate a
couple’s path to choosing, purchasing for, and beginning a DIY project with the help of
The Home Depot. For an additional creative sample, a print ad, see Appendix A.
Couple is in an apartment looking at a wall thinking of what to do with it. Voiceover: “Looking for a new weekend project?”
Man flashes back to projects with father, specifically building a treehouse together.
Woman flashes back to projects with her mother, specifically painting a room in the house. Voiceover: “Your parents chose The Home Depot. You should too!”
The couple is walking into The Home Depot embracing or holding hands…
…speaking with an associate…
Page | 20
…and heading back to the car with a cart full of products.
Couple is back in their apartment beginning their project. Voiceover: “With The Home Depot, any project is possible!”
Voiceover: “Do-It-Yourself with Love…”
*”Love” fades into “The Home Depot”* Voiceover: “Do-It-Yourself with The Home Depot.”
Note: Hashtag reads #DIYWithLove
Page | 21
Paid Media Plan
As a part of this overall integrated marketing communications plan, the media mix
employed for The Home Depot will work to accomplish the following objectives:
1. Achieve 85% coverage across defined target market within a year, allowing for
an average of 6 impressions per four-week period
2. Reach a minimum of 70% of target market by end of one year of campaign
3. Maintain an average of 4 exposures per four-week period across all media
The following media strategies and tactics will be used to achieve the above objectives.
Appendix B contains the complete campaign media flowchart, which is referenced in the
various media strategies.
Strategy #1: Television
The tactics to be employed as a part of the television strategy are:
1. ABC
Rationale: With females being more apt to drive decisions around home décor,
selecting a network like ABC that has high female viewership will assist in making
the purchasing decisions amongst couples in the target demographic. ABC has a
62% female audience and five of the most popular shows among women, all with at
least 70% female viewership, are aired on ABC (Carter, 2013, Dec. 17). By focusing
advertising around the season premieres and season finales where engagement is
high, The Home Depot can capitalize on reach.
2. HGTV
Rationale: Leveraging the current advertising relationship with the HGTV and DIY
Network, The Home Depot can drive campaign messaging through network
programming integration and advertising where the target audience is already
engaged in a variety of programs dedicated to the home.
Strategy #2: Digital/Social Media
The overall rationale for utilizing a digital and social media strategy for the target market
is because Millennials are the core group that are utilizing the various channels
available today, with 71% of them engaging in social media daily (Taylor, 2014, Mar.
10). The Home Depot has already established a presence in social media, giving this
strategy a foundation to build off of. In a comprehensive review of Pew Research
Internet Project’s “Social Media Update 2013” (2013, December 30), college-educated
Page | 22
Millennials represent the group with the highest percentage of users of the channels
below. As seen on the flowchart, this strategy is one of two that will span the entire
campaign due to its ability to maintain interaction with consumers.
The tactics to be employed as part of the social media strategy are:
1. Facebook
Rationale: With 84% of adults in the low-end and 79% of the high-end of the target
market age group using Facebook, this platform is key to reaching current and
potential customers as a part of this campaign. Through liking, sharing, and
additional advertising options available to The Home Depot, Facebook provides
great opportunity to reaching the target demographic as well as capitalizing on the
message frequency.
2. Pinterest
Rationale: On top of Pinterest being most heavily used by the target demographic, it
is also more heavily used by women (33% v. 8% male). With “Home” recognized as
the top category on the platform, The Home Depot can leverage the site as another
channel to focus driving the females in these Millennial couples to influence
purchasing decisions (Indvik, 2012, March 12).
3. Twitter
Rationale: Though less widely used across the Millennial age group in comparison to
Facebook, Twitter provides the platform to engage the target market in a variety of
ways such as additional advertising, hashtag conversations, and customer service,
among others, to drive the overall campaign.
4. Instagram
Rationale: As another growing platform among the target demographic, Instagram
provides a platform for The Home Depot to engage the group through sharing of
photos, short videos, and special edits such as collages, photo slideshows, and
Hyperlapse videos due to the many applications used in conjunction with Instagram.
5. #DIYwithLove Microsite
Rationale: By having a direct website with the URL matching the social hashtag, the
campaign is constantly reinforced for those visiting the site. Also, because we would
want The Home Depot to remain dedicated to its core messaging and prevent
additional clutter, this microsite gives The Home Depot the ability to pull all
campaign-related efforts to one place for customers, such as the various social
media feeds and blog.
Page | 23
6. Home Depot-owned blog
Rationale: A blog gives The Home Depot the ability to engage all stakeholders in a
free-form space. From employees who can provide recommendations based on their
product knowledge, to sponsored guest bloggers, to Millennial couples who want to
share their projects with a little more background, the blog offers prime real estate
for 360-degree interaction throughout the campaign.
Strategy #3: Mobile
The tactics to be employed as part of the mobile strategy are:
1. The Home Depot mobile application
Rationale: Again, using a platform already established and recognizable, The Home
Depot app will give the target demographic the 360-degree customer experience.
With account management, local store details, and in-app tools and calculators,
customers are able to enjoy a better shopping experience once choosing a project to
complete, just by downloading this free app. Driving the target group to this app
through campaign efforts allows them to truly incorporate “Do-It-Yourself” as they go
through the planning of their project.
Strategy #4: Print - Magazine
The tactics to be employed as part of the trade magazine strategy are:
1. Better Homes and Gardens
As can be seen on the flowchart, trade magazine advertisements will be focused
around holidays and seasonal trends where customers will look to projects to
prepare for company or just try something new to switch up their space as a new
season comes. Even though user generated content through non-traditional media is
deemed more trustworthy and memorable to Millennials, traditional media still takes
up 33% of their media consumption (Taylor, 2014, March 10). Combined with all
other strategies, having seasonal advertising in the top Home magazine by
circulation (Lulofs, 2014, Feb. 6), will increase the potential reach and frequency of
the message while remaining cost-effective.
Page | 24
Public Relations Plan
As a part of this overall integrated marketing communications plan, the public relations
plan for The Home Depot will work to accomplish the following objectives:
1. Drive focus around customer service to increase positive brand sentiment by
25% across current customers.
2. Gain 5-7 local or national media stories per sponsored event or volunteer effort
3. Leverage corporate sponsorships to hold 4 co-sponsored events in metropolitan
areas, each with 75-100 local influencers in attendance, per year
4. Increase awareness of corporate responsibility efforts across target market by
35% within 6 months of campaign start
5. Achieve 20% increase in social media interaction metrics (dependent on
platform) on content created in one year of campaign
The following public relations strategies and tactics will be used to achieve the above
objectives.
Strategy #1: Customer Relations
The customer relations strategy is a necessary component of the overall public relations
efforts, especially as a response to the recent breach of customer data. On September
18, 2014, it was confirmed that 56 million cards were affected by this breach of the
retailer’s systems (Sidel). It is important that The Home Depot address this through the
following tactics as an overarching measure of dedication to their core value of excellent
customer service:
1. Monthly Press Release
Rationale: As a tactic to assure both current and potential customers of their
safety, it is important for The Home Depot to continue to share developments in
their path to tightening information security. Each month, sharing key updates to
their publics about their dedication to ensuring that they are doing all they can to
prevent future breaches will build trust. Due to the high level of coverage as a
result of the breach, The Home Depot’s continued updates will be highly
anticipated and shared by the media. In addition to The Home Depot’s currently
rhythm of providing press releases, the public will receive a 360 view of what the
retailer is doing not only in relation to the security breach, but also what is going
on with leadership, partnerships, and corporate responsibility.
Page | 25
2. Leadership Interviews
Rationale: In conjunction with the trust-building efforts of the press releases,
interviews held by key players on the leadership team such as current CEO
Frank Blake and incoming CEO Craig Menear, will put a face to the words on a
page for both current and potential customers.
3. Twitter
Rationale: Known as “social care”, businesses of all industries are now being
expected by consumers to address customer inquiries and complaints shared on
social media. Many businesses are creating a second Twitter handle dedicated
to responding to customers and, in the wake of the breach, The Home Depot can
benefit from having this as well, especially among Millennial customers. Having a
dedicated team working on responding to customers increases engagement and
personalization of the customer relationship (Knowledge@Wharton, 2014, Jan.
9).
Strategy #2: Corporate Responsibility
In 2011, a study showed that 75% of people between the ages of 20 and 35 donated to
a cause in the past year, while 63% gave their time to volunteer. Of all people polled,
93% had a bachelor’s degree and majority did not have kids, characteristics of the
defined target market of this plan. But, because they are young with less disposable
income than their older counterparts, many in this group only donated $100 or less, but
have the influence to work to get larger contributions from other donors. What is most
important about Millennials’ desire to donate is that they are doing their research about
organizations and are looking to see tangible results following their donation
(“Charitable Giving”, 2012, Sept. 12). With a core value of “Giving Back”, The Home
Depot needs to make Millennials aware of their efforts with The Home Depot
Foundation, dedication to sustainability, and partnership with Good360 for the Framing
Hope product donation program. Utilizing the recommended blog to engage customers
in this way will assist to increase this much-needed awareness.
1. The Home Depot-owned Blog
Rationale: The Home Depot can use the blog to share their corporate
responsibility efforts – from employees blogging about their experiences
volunteering, to guest bloggers from their partnering organizations, to customer
group influencers speaking to their experiences about sustainability. Opening up
the space to bring more attention to a core value of The Home Depot’s will give
Millennials the information that they need to truly understand their efforts while
also adding to the overall brand image of the retailer versus competitors.
Page | 26
Strategy #3: Event Sponsorships
As an official sponsor of the NFL, Atlanta sports teams, as well as bowl games and a
few other sport teams across the nation, The Home Depot’s image is already prevalent
across sports, which are heavily viewed by males in our target couples (The Home
Depot, 2014). To balance the exposure, it is important for The Home Depot to leverage
other current partnerships to become a more established brand in the eyes of the
females, especially those that do not watch sports.
1. HGTV/DIYNetwork
Rationale: Even though The Home Depot currently runs advertising and is frequently
mentioned on these networks, there is room to sponsor in-person events to bring the
campaign to life. For example, HGTV Magazine co-sponsored the “Steal the Show”
event in New York City with Citi, where Citi cardmembers were invited to an
exclusive screening of an ABC series premiere (“Upcoming Events”, 2014). The
Home Depot can leverage their current partnerships with other organizations to bring
exclusive, invite-only events to the defined target market in metropolitan areas.
Utilizing knowledge of local influencers related to the chosen partnership, The Home
Depot can invite those that can easily spread the word about the event on top of
publicity on HGTV’s website and any other media coverage that may come with the
event.
Strategy #4: Media Relations
In order to achieve the objectives of securing media stories on local and national levels
and making the public more aware of The Home Depot’s volunteer efforts, it is important
for the retailer to not only be proactive in holding events and sharing information about
the company as recommended above, but also be proactive in ensuring that the media
is involved in their efforts. The tactics below leverage the retailer’s ability to be proactive
while also providing ways in which the media can assist in spreading the stories that
The Home Depot is creating:
1. Press Kit Expansion
Rationale: Currently, The Home Depot’s Press Kit available on their corporate
website includes the following categories: “Business/Financial”, “Employer of
Choice”, “Environment”, and “International”. Though each category provides
information that is important to the retailer’s brand, there is room to provide
information about specific events, versus a simple overview or summary of efforts. It
is important that The Home Depot provide simple ways for the media to cover their
Page | 27
stories, especially if media is not present for such things as quarterly in-store
fundraising efforts that are recommended later in this plan.
2. Social Media
Rationale: With established social media pages, The Home Depot can leverage
social tactics to not only proactively share their efforts around special events and
volunteer efforts, but also earn media through the concepts of “sharing”, “liking”, and
“retweeting”, which move posts through the social space at a rapid rate. Utilizing
Facebook and Twitter to share photos and interact with “fans” and “followers” while
also sharing videos from these efforts via YouTube, The Home Depot can allow
sharing across social media platforms to take the reins and incite word of mouth on
their behalf following initial posts, achieving the overall objective to ensure that they
media becomes aware of their efforts. Some examples of posts that can be shared
include: leadership quotes, photos, and videos from special events and volunteer
efforts, invitations to the media to visit the new and improved press kit, and
employee quotes about their experiences working for The Home Depot. Though this
tactic is directed towards the media, everyday followers of the retailer will be
exposed to the information to increase positive sentiment towards the brand as well.
Page | 28
Direct Marketing Plan
As a part of this overall integrated marketing communications plan, the direct marketing
employed for The Home Depot will work to accomplish the following objectives:
1. Achieve an average direct mail response rate of 2.5% each quarter of the first
year of the campaign
2. Achieve an overall email opt-in rate of 3% within the first year of the campaign
3. Increase mobile application downloads by 10% in first six months of campaign
4. Increase workshop attendance among the target market by 15% within the first
year of the campaign
Given the campaign promotes that the target market can undertake any project with the
help of The Home Depot, it is important that Millennial couples are provided with
information about ways in which they be confident in taking on their next project. To
encourage the use of the digital as a part of the campaign, each direct marketing piece
will include the website, microsite, and social media usernames. The following direct
marketing tactics will ensure that this information is distributed directly to the target
market while also achieving the above objectives.
Tactic #1: Direct Mail
To assist in increasing attendance in the DIY workshops, The Home Depot can utilize
direct mail to provide quarterly calendars to the current and prospective customers
within the target market, focusing mailings on apartments, condominiums, and
townhomes in each set of metropolitan area zip codes. By providing a schedule ahead
of time, the target market quickly becomes more aware of the workshops and also have
the ability to plan their schedule around which weekend they would like to attend. To
drive the campaign, The Home Depot can develop a #DIYWithLove workshop, targeted
to couples in this target market that is offered twice per quarter.
Tactic #2: Email
Upon collecting email addresses at the point of sale, The Home Depot can utilize email
to maintain relationships with their current customers. Similar to direct mail, email can
be used to share workshop calendars, invite customers to special events, but also
target sales messages based on past purchasing behavior. By focusing on current
customers through this email tactic, The Home Depot has the opportunity to fully
personalize communications sent. As the #DIYWithLove campaign unfolds, the
message can be personalized even more, providing tips for apartments, condos, and
Page | 29
townhomes themed around the metropolitan area that the email subscriber can have
the option to identify with.
For example, email subscribers in the Chicago area can be provided with Chicago-
themed ideas or places to visit for inspiration on top of receiving other area-specific
store communications.
Tactic #3: Mobile supported by Point-Of-Purchase
Due to the current geolocation abilities in The Home Depot application, direct marketing
through the mobile app already allows customers to receive messaging that is specific
to their current shopping experience. By heavily promoting the application in the store
as a part of the overall customer experience through signage and associate
communications, an increase in downloads will allow The Home Depot to directly
market to more customers and drive purchases through the messages delivered.
Page | 30
Sales Promotion Plan
As a part of this overall integrated marketing communications plan, the sales
promotions employed for The Home Depot will work to accomplish the following
objectives:
1. Receive at least 750,000 contest entries during first #DIYWithLove contest period
2. Gain 1,000,000 loyalty club members within first 6 months of release
3. Raise at least $5M in donations towards The Home Depot Foundation and
partner organizations each 6 months
The following sales promotion tactics will be used to achieve the above objectives.
Tactic #1: Contest
To drive engagement among the target market, The Home Depot can sponsor a
#DIYWithLove contest, giving couples the ability to show off their DIY projects for a
worldwide vote.
To enter the contest, couples willing to enter must:
Complete an application on the #DIYWithLove microsite
Attend the #DIYWithLove workshop
Complete their project and post to Facebook or Instagram with the
#DIYWithLoveContest hashtag
The Home Depot will narrow the entries down to the top 25, which will be posted on a
#DIYWithLove Pinterest board and linked to the microsite for official voting.
The top 5 entries based on votes will: (1) have their projects featured on an HGTV
special; (2) win a $5,000 gift card to go towards future purchases at The Home Depot;
and (3) have their own Pinterest board featured on The Home Depot’s account for 6
months following the contest.
Tactic #2: Loyalty Program
To supplement the current Pro Xtra Loyalty program for its contractor customers, The
Home Depot can further attract their non-professional customer base with the creation
of a non-professional loyalty program: The DIY VIP Club, with cards available as full
credit-card size for the wallet and smaller versions for the keychain.
Page | 31
Sample Card Art:
This point-based program will allow customers to gain points for each purchase that
they make at The Home Depot, providing 1 point for each $1. With each 500 points
received, the member receives a $15 coupon to go towards their next purchase. On top
of the monetary benefit, this program allows customers to track purchases online and
participate in multiple points events for donating towards causes supported by The
Home Depot and by attending workshops during specific periods of time. Unlike
competitor Lowe’s MyLowes card, the monetary benefit of the points system can keep
The Home Depot top of mind due to the additional rewards available with purchases.
A mix of direct mail, POP, and social media communications can assist in driving
awareness around the new program. This loyalty program can also be integrated into
the mobile application.
Tactic #3: Specialties
To assist in the overall awareness of The Home Depot’s dedication to its corporate
responsibility, 2-3 weeks out of each quarter can be dedicated to getting customers
involved in one of The Home Depot’s efforts. For example, one quarter can be
dedicated to collecting funds to support The Home Depot Foundation and the next can
be sponsoring collection sites for hazardous materials. For each customer participating
in the effort of the quarter, branded project tools (i.e. tape measurers, levelers, paint
brushes, etc.) will be solicited for their involvement, supporting the overall promotion of
the organization of the quarter, The Home Depot, and DIY projects. Unlike the contest
and new loyalty program, this tactic allows The Home Depot to reach both its
professional and non-professional customers.
Page | 32
Measurement and Evaluation Plan
To drive the overall success of the #DIYWithLove campaign, the following measurement
and evaluation plan will be put in place to ensure that the various aspects of the
campaign are helping to achieve the objectives developed. By measuring and
evaluating pieces of the overall campaign before, during, and after one year of the
campaign’s launch, The Home Depot can not only measure the success, but also make
adjustments where necessary and possible. Due to the campaign bringing a new
concept to the forefront for The Home Depot, heavy evaluation of the concept and
potential advertisements prior to being placed in the market is important to
understanding the level of success to be anticipated.
Quantifiable Evaluation of Campaign Objectives
Evaluation of objectives around increases in sales, customers, and fundraising can be
tracked by The Home Depot’s internal team, using the metrics at the start of the
campaign as the benchmark for measurement. By following financials and customer
database content before and during the campaign, using the objectives as the baseline
for success with a +/-1% spread, success of the campaign in relation to these results
can easily be measured.
Pre-Launch Campaign Concept Evaluation
1. Concept Testing: By targeting Millennial couples, The Home Depot is taking a
relatively new approach in comparison to previous campaigns. To avoid the risk
of the #DIYWithLove concept not being embraced by the target market, mall
intercepts can be used prior to the development of any campaign tactics,
surveying representatives of the target market of the overall concept plus
possible advertising details. With this method of evaluation, The Home Depot will
know how the concept may be received as well as how the concept should be
presented. For example, the survey can inquire about preferences around the
couple demographics, such as the representation of opposite sex, same-sex,
and/or interracial couples. Results from these surveys will give the creative team
employed the ability to develop various versions of advertisements, or the
knowledge of whether or not variety is actually necessary.
2. Comprehension and Reaction Test via Focus Group: With this plan
recommending certain television channels to broadcast #DIYWithLove
commercials, recall tests can be used to evaluate the target market’s ability to
take away the nostalgic message shared in the sample TV spot. The emotional
appeal desired as a result of this ad can be evaluated by a sample of the target
market to see if personal family experiences will drive increased preference of
Page | 33
The Home Depot over competitors. Depending on the response, the concept and
appeal delivered in the television advertisements can be adjusted as necessary
prior to widespread broadcasting to ensure that desired behavior follows.
3. Next* Connect: By targeting Millennials who are the heaviest users of digital
media in today’s world, being able to break through the clutter is of high
importance to this campaign’s success. By placing completed digital
#DIYWithLove campaign content and advertisements in the mix of the variety of
content to which the target market is exposed, The Home Depot can be aware of
the potential effect of the campaign within the digital space.
Evaluation During & After the Campaign
1. Social Media Metrics: With a heavy focus on maximizing The Home Depot’s
utilization of their social media channels to reach their publics, bi-weekly
measurement of each channels’ metrics should be put in place to ensure that
advertising and content provided on the channels is bringing the desired
interaction and increase in followers. By measuring these metrics throughout the
campaign, The Home Depot will know if they are on track with achieving their
digital objectives while also providing the opportunity to adjust the plans for the
channels as needed to meet the overall objectives of the campaign.
2. Market ContactAudit: A recurring objective throughout this plan is the increase in
awareness, both of The Home Depot brand and of its values. By evaluating the
influence of each campaign tactic in terms of the efficiency and effectiveness of
promoting a more holistic consumer experience, The Home Depot will know,
after the initial year of the #DIYWithLove campaign, how to adjust and prioritize
the mix of channels and messages within those channels to create the
foundation of a long-standing campaign to continue reaching the Millennial
market.
Utilizing the measurement and evaluation methods recommended above, the overall
success of the #DIYWithLove campaign will be based off of the objectives outlined
throughout this plan. By benchmarking the listed objectives as 100% to goal, evaluation
of these metrics resulting in at least 85-90% to goal will mark success of the campaign
within the time frame in each specific objective. Because The Home Depot is already a
well-known retailer with an established brand, any achievements below that level should
result in revisiting the tactics relative to the objective in question.
Page | 34
Conclusion
Taking an integrated marketing approach allows a company, no matter how
established they are in their industry or in the eyes of their publics, to ensure that
its customers are fully aware of what the brand is bringing to the table, whether
they are interacting with them in person, on the Internet, or through word of
mouth. Without consistently providing a holistic view of the brand, a company is
unable to fully differentiate itself from its competitors.
The Home Depot was founded to provide the Do-It-Yourself customer with a one-
stop shopping experience. With the wide range of products and services
available to its professional and non-professional customers, The Home Depot
has accomplished and maintained the vision of its founders over the decades.
As a Do-It-Yourself superstore in an age where DIY projects are becoming more
popular due to social media sites like Instagram and Pinterest, The Home Depot
must make sure that they are establishing their expertise among the consumer
group who is most inclined to take on projects that they see in the digital space,
Millennials. By identifying what is most important to this group, such as a
company’s volunteerism efforts or sharing personal experiences on social media,
for example, The Home Depot has the opportunity to capitalize on already-
established brand aspects to better engage this group and be recognized as the
first stop for their next DIY task.
The implementation of this plan will not only ensure that The Home Depot is
maximizing their current efforts focused around their identified values but also
working to achieve the overall objectives of this plan, most importantly driving
overall brand awareness and preference among the recommended target market
of Millennial couples.
Page | 35
APPENDIX A: SAMPLE PRINT CREATIVE
Page | 36
APPENDIX B: MEDIA FLOWCHART
Page | 37
APPENDIX C: REFERENCES
The Associated Press. (2014, Aug 22). U.S. housing market continues to improve as
sales of existing homes rise. Retrieved from http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2014/08/us_housing_market_improves_as_existing_home_sales_rise.html
Banjo, S. (2014, Feb 28). Home depot sets up for CEO succession as focus shifts to
web; retailer names Craig Menear as U.S. retail president. Wall Street Journal (Online). Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/ 1503030876?accountid=2837
Carter, B. (2013, Dec. 17). ABC viewers tilt female for a network light on sports. The
New York Times (online). Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/business/media/abc-viewers-tilt-female-for-a-network-light-on-sports.html
Corbett, M. (2014, Aug 26). Why millennials should wait to buy a home. Time (online).
Retrieved from http://time.com/money/3162148/millennials-buy-a-home-should-i-buy-or-rent-getting-a-mortgage/
D’Innocenzio, A. (2014, Oct. 13). JCPenney names Home Depot executive Ellison as its
next CEO. U.S. News (online). Retrieved from http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2014/10/13/jc-penney-names-ellison-as-its-next-ceo
Fromm, J. (2014). Generation Y has become Generation DIY [Web log post]. Retrieved
from http://millennialmarketing.com/2013/12/generation-y-has-become-generation-diy/
HGTV Magazine. (2014). Upcoming Events. Retrieved from
http://www.hgtvmagonline.com/events Home Depot says US housing recovery to boost sales in second half. (2014, August
19). Today Online. Retrieved from http://www.todayonline.com/business/home-depot-quarterly-sales-rise-57-percent
The Home Depot. (2014). Corporate and financial overview. Retrieved from
https://corporate.homedepot.com/MediaCenter/PressKit/Documents/Corp_Financial_Overview.pdf
The Home Depot. (2014). Corporate responsibility. Retrieved from
https://corporate.homedepot.com/CorporateResponsibility
Page | 38
The Home Depot. (2014). Partnerships. Retrieved from https://corporate.homedepot.com/CorporateResponsibility/Partnerships/Pages/default.aspx
The Home Depot. (2014). Investor FAQ. Retrieved from
http://phx.corporate-ir.net/phoenix.zhtml?c=63646&p=irol-faq The Home Depot. (2014) Other Sports Sponsorships. Retrieved from
https://corporate.homedepot.com/CorporateResponsibility/SportsSponsorships/Pages/OtherSportsSponsorships.aspx
The Home Depot. (2014). Our company. Retrieved from
https://corporate.homedepot.com/OurCompany Indvik, L. (2012, Mar. 12). What people are pinning on Pinterest. Retrieved from
http://mashable.com/2012/03/12/pinterest-most-popular-categories-boards/ Knowledge@Wharton. (2014, Jan. 9). The ignored side of social media: Customer
service. Forbes (online). Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/knowledgewharton/2014/01/09/22014/
Luhby, T. (2014, July 20). Millennials say no to marriage. Retrieved from
http://money.cnn.com/2014/07/20/news/economy/millennials-marriage/ Lulofs, N. (2014, Feb. 6). Top 25 U.S. consumer magazines for December 2013.
Retrieved from http://www.auditedmedia.com/news/blog/2014/february/us-snapshot.aspx
Marzilli, T. (2014, Apr 4). Home Depot and Lowe’s favorites with diy dads. Forbes
(online). Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/brandindex/2014/04/04/home-depot-and-lowes-favorites- with-diy-dads/
McGrath, M. (2014, Aug 19). Good news for the housing market? Home Depot raises
full-year forecast. Forbes (online). Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/ Pew Research Internet Project. (2013, Dec. 30). Social media update 2013:
Demographics of key social networking platforms. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/12/30/demographics-of-key-social-networking-platforms/
PR Newswire. (2014, Oct. 20). The Home Depot names Marc Powers EVP, U.S. stores.
Retrieved from http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-home-depot-names-marc-powers-evp-us-stores-350202749.html
Page | 39
Reuters. (2014, Sept 4). Home Depot in contact with Secret Service over alleged
breach. Retrieved from http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/09/04/usa-homedepot-dataprotection-idUSL1N0R517720140904?type=companyNews
Sidel, R. (2014, Sept. 18). Home Depot’s 56 million card breach bigger than Target’s.
The Wall Street Journal (online). Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/articles/home-depot-breach-bigger-than-targets-1411073571
Suddath, C. (2014, Apr 25). The millennial way of shopping: More careful, durable, and
frugal than you think. Bloomberg Businessweek (online). Retrieved from http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-04-25/millennials-are-careful-frugal-shoppers-who-buy-for-the-long-term
Taylor, K. (2014, Mar. 10). Millennials spend 18 hours a day consuming media -- And
it's mostly content created by peers. Retrieved from http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/232062
Storyboard images sources:
Block# 1: http://blogs.psychcentral.com/relationship-skills/files/2013/07/Couple-Perplexed.jpg
Block #2: http://outsidekid.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/DSCF0529.jpg
Block #4: http://www.visualphotos.com/photo/2x4014343/mother_and_daughter_painting_wall_together_FAN2037852.jpg
Block #4: http://www.colourbox.com/preview/1642159-96849-philippe-dureuil-philippe-dureuil-altopress-maxppp-couple-walking-together-with-shopping-cart-in-parking-lot.jpg
Block #5: http://thegraphicsfairy.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/HomeDepot-GraphicsFairy.jpg
Block #6: https://careers.homedepot.com/_asset/images/migrate-old/findYourFit/life.png
Block #7: http://chezerbey.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/36551_3218180255800_1305195747_32313311_476542998_n.jpg
Block #8: http://a.dilcdn.com/bl/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/babble-voices/take-10-jaime-morrison-curtis-jacinda-cannon-boneau/files/25-at-home-date-nights/20.jpg