Dive Brief:

• The realm of office supply retailers got that much smaller when Staples acquired Office Depot last week, and Staples was quick to remarket itself as a retailer helping small businesses.
• The campaign, which launched Sunday, is an extension of the 'Make More Happen' campaign. It includes five 15-second spots that will run on network television, as well as radio and online ads.
• The first ad features the new Staples guy, named "Tom Foolery," showing a small business customer that the retailer is willing to match any competitor's price.

Dive Insight:

Staples' decision to appeal to small businesses on the heels of a major acquisition is telling—it shows that the retailer is aware of changing consumer sentiment that bigger is not always better.  “The big keep getting bigger and that’s not necessarily a bad thing for smaller merchants,” Seth Newman, president of web-only retailer Envelopes.com, told Internet Retailer. “Many times the larger companies are slower to react to changes in the market and new opportunities while smaller firms can adapt quickly.”

As Office Depot and Staples begin the merger, it will be interesting to see if the mega-chain will be able to successfully market itself as a champion for small businesses, or if small businesses will turn to other small businesses for its office needs.