True Value Campaign to Feature Nick Offerman, Launches Major Brand Investment
During the Opening Session of the Do it Best and True Value Fall Market in Indianapolis today, True Value unveiled a significant brand investment strategy highlighted by naming actor, author, and woodworker Nick Offerman as the face and voice of its upcoming national awareness campaign.
Eric Lane, True Value’s senior vice president of marketing, said the partnership is part of a multi-pronged effort to refresh the True Value brand and connect with a new generation of DIYers while continuing to celebrate the independent retailer.
“I’ve been with True Value for nearly 40 years and I’ve never been as excited as I am right now,” Lane told attendees. “Nick brings credibility as a real-life DIYer. He’s well-known across all age spectrums, and the most popular characters he’s portrayed make him a perfect fit to promote True Value and celebrate the independent retailer.”
Offerman, best known for his role as Ron Swanson on Parks and Recreation, shared his passion for craftsmanship, community, and supporting locally owned businesses during the session. “As the current proprietor of a wood shop producing handmade heirloom furniture pieces, not to mention my role as an ardent patron of local agriculture initiatives, I have not lost sight of the strength of maintaining knowledge in one’s community,” Offerman told Opening Session attendees during a video presentation. “Being able to have your neighbors come into your store and ask you questions — and have people working in the store that have the expertise to answer those questions — makes our communities stronger. Let’s please make some good work together and make our neighborhoods better to live in.”
Lane emphasized that Offerman’s involvement is just one part of True Value’s broader brand investment. The company’s strategy focuses on three key pillars:
- Reimagined shopping experience – True Value is redesigning its in-store format with the “Destination True Value” concept, featuring a refreshed look and updated layouts designed to make shopping easier and faster. The brand also plans to launch a national e-commerce platform in early 2026, giving customers the ability to browse inventory, view pricing, and choose between buy-online-pickup-in-store or direct shipping.
- Enhanced brand awareness program – A streamlined marketing framework aims to simplify promotions, improve customer connections, and drive foot traffic into stores. The program includes national advertising as well as retail-ready events and tools to support local marketing.
- National advertising campaign featuring Offerman – Offerman will be the centerpiece of a wide-reaching campaign appearing on major streaming platforms, YouTube, Spotify, social media, and more. Lane said the goal is to build True Value’s relevance among younger consumers, noting that current brand awareness remains strongest among baby boomers.
“Our data shows that True Value has high relative brand awareness, especially considering the lack of investment in recent years,” Lane said. “However, that awareness is primarily among people in the baby boom generation or older. We want this brand to be around for generations to come.”
The campaign’s message centers on True Value’s role in “fueling independence to make every project possible,” a theme Lane said resonated strongly during early testing with millennials and Gen Z consumers.
“Your project, your way” is the slogan driving the upcoming ads, with the rollout set to begin across national and digital platforms in early 2026.
