Walgreens Selects Arc Worldwide As Promotional Marketing 'Agency of Record' to Drive New Customer-Centric Approach

CHICAGO, July 28  /PRNewswire/ -- Walgreen Co. (NYSE:WAG) (NASDAQ:WAG) announced today that Arc Worldwide, the marketing services arm of Leo Burnett USA, has been awarded Walgreens' retail marketing business in the U.S., effective immediately. Arc Worldwide will handle promotional work as Walgreens' first-ever promotional marketing Agency of Record, including shopper marketing.

As part of the new vigor with which Walgreens goes to market, the company is reinventing the customer experience in its stores and is emphasizing this approach as a priority with the hiring of Arc Worldwide. Promotions will be designed to not only boost transactions at Walgreens stores, but increase overall traffic to the stores to entice consumers with the experiences that will keep them coming back.

"The hiring of Arc Worldwide as our dedicated promotional marketing agency of record signifies our strategic move to create a more differentiated and integrated Walgreens shopper experience," said Kim Feil, chief marketing officer, Walgreens. "Arc's expertise in truly connecting with consumers, moving and inspiring them both in-store and out - is going to help Walgreens play a unique role in shopper's lives by giving what they need and what they want - when they want it."

As part of the engagement, Arc Worldwide will be helping Walgreens gear up for both the flu and holiday seasons, as those are expected to be heavy traffic times for the retailer. Arc will also tap Relay-- the sponsorship, consulting and experiential marketing company of Publicis Groupe--for field marketing and event sponsorship projects.

"We are honored to be the promotional marketing agency of record for Walgreens, the nation's largest drugstore chain and an American staple whose roots run wide and deep in communities across the country," said Bill Rosen, president and chief creative officer - North America, Arc Worldwide. "Our leading-edge cross-channel activation expertise, combined with powerful, creative ideas to activate behavior and sales, will help transform the way Walgreens communicates with its customers in the months ahead."

About Leo Burnett & Arc Worldwide - http://www.leoburnett.com/, http://www.arcww.com/us/

The Leo Burnett Group, comprised of the Leo Burnett brand agency and its marketing services arm Arc Worldwide, is one of the world's largest agency networks and a subsidiary of Publicis Groupe (http://www.publicisgroupe.com/), the world's fourth-largest communications company. The Leo Burnett Group holds people at the center of their strategic thinking, technological innovation and creative ideas, focusing first and foremost on human behavior before attempting to tell a brand's story.

This approach ensures that people who buy into client brands believe in them all the more. With expertise in mass advertising and digital, retail and promotional marketing, The Leo Burnett Group partners with blue-chip clients such as The Coca-Cola Company, Kellogg, McDonald's, Hallmark, Allstate, P&G and Nintendo.

About Relay Worldwide

Relay's mission and goal is to make brands a more meaningful part of people's lives. As experts in brand consulting, sponsorships, lifestyle and experiential marketing, is uses relevant insights to create real connections with people where they live, work and play.  The global sponsorship and brand consultancy delivers uncommon solutions and exceptional results for a diverse roster of brands, including Coca-Cola, AT&T, Sharp Electronics, Kashi and Beam Global Spirits & Wine.  Relay (http://www.relayworldwide.com/) is also a member of Publicis Groupe.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (http://www.walgreens.com/) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,679 drugstores in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems, the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country. 

DATASOURCE: Leo Burnett Worldwide



CONTACT:  Abby Lovett of Leo Burnett Worldwide, [phone],





Web Site:  http://www.leoburnett.com/

http://www.arcww.com/us

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