Stor Switches to Ketchum to Create New Ad Strategy

A new ad agency is in store for Stor.

The contemporary furniture chain Thursday handed its estimated $5-million ad business to the Los Angeles office of Ketchum Advertising. Since Stor opened its first outlet three years ago, its only agency has been Gumpertz/Bentley/Fried of Los Angeles.

“We felt it was time to reposition the company,” said Jim Stadtlander, president of the City of Industry-based chain. “We want to communicate to people why they should be willing to drive 40 miles out of their way to go to Stor, when there’s probably another furniture store right down the street from their home.”

Stor officials do not know if the chain will keep its current ad slogan, “European style furniture to go.”

Ketchum’s Los Angeles office is probably best known for creating ads for the Acura division of Honda Motor Co., a $100-million-plus client. Just two months ago, Ketchum lost the $2-million account of the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, which published its last edition Thursday.

“This is a nice win,” said J. Craig Mathiesen, president of Ketchum. “We hope we can help flesh out public awareness of Stor. People need to know what they are.”

Mathiesen said Ketchum, which posts annual billings greater than $125 million, will hire “several” creative and production employees to help with the newly won business.

Privately held Stor has opened three stores in three years. Although sales have grown, retail analysts said some investors are disappointed. Analysts also said that because Stor does such a big volume business, it has had problems keeping some items in stock.

Executives at Stor’s former agency said they did all they could. “We created for Stor some of the mostly highly acclaimed retail advertising of the year,” said Dick Fried, president of Gumpertz/Bentley/Fried. “There are some problems that good advertising can’t solve.”