Boston’s Hometown Wholesale Club
THE ASK
Protect BJ’s home-market advantage as Costco enters BJ’s founding club zip codes and intensifies competition in New England.
THE PROBLEM
While BJ’s has strong store presence in Massachusetts, the brand lacks emotional ownership in its own backyard. People shop BJ’s, but don’t see it as their club, leaving the door open for national competitors with heavier brand investment.
THE INSIGHT
Bostonians don’t care about flash. They care about grit, value, and brands that feel real. In a city where saving is worn like a badge of honor, loyalty is built on trust, not polish.
THE SOLUTION
BJ’s doesn’t need to outshine competitors. It needs to out-Boston them. By embracing the city’s no-frills, deal-loving spirit, BJ’s can reclaim its role as Boston’s hometown wholesale club and turn saving into a point of local pride.
PROBLEMBostonians need a reason to choose BJ’s over new competitors.
We looked at how locals talk about wholesale clubs today to understand what loyalty looks like in a market suddenly filled with new options. Once BJ’s felt like the obvious hometown choice, competitors entering its founding zip codes have started to shift the conversation, giving people more reasons to reconsider where their loyalty belongs.
FROM THIS“Growing up, my parents always went to BJ’s. It was just part of being from around here. You didn’t even think twice about it.”
- Facebook
TO THIS“I go to BJ’s because it’s convenient, but I don’t really think of it as a Boston brand. It just feels like another big store now.”
– Mike, 31
Why the disconnect?
As new competitors entered BJ’s founding zip codes, leadership knew the threat wasn’t just price. It was perception.
BJ’s had always been part of Boston life, but over time, that familiarity turned into background noise. With bigger brands pouring money into media and polish, BJ’s risked losing its emotional edge in the city it helped define.
This wasn’t a question of awareness.
It was a question of ownership.
In Boston, loyalty is earned through grit, not gloss.
CREATIVE CAMPAIGNBJ’s: Boston’s Hometown Wholesale Club
The first wave focused on high-impact out-of-home across Boston, using bold “Boston Loves BJ’s” heart iconography and product-forward visuals to re-establish BJ’s presence in the city.
Big logos. Big color. Big visibility.
Once BJ’s was back in the conversation, the campaign shifted from visibility to connection.
The second wave leaned into Boston-specific, IYKYK moments that locals instantly recognize. Each execution tied local pride back to BJ’s core promise: unbeatable value.
WHY IT WORKED
By leading with visibility and following with local truth, the campaign met Bostonians where they were. First, it reminded them BJ’s exists. Then, it reminded them BJ’s belongs.
That shift from awareness to affection turned a defensive brand moment into a point of pride.
RESULTS + IMPACT
At a moment when BJ’s needed to protect its hometown advantage, the campaign gave the brand a louder, more confident voice in its most competitive market.
Internally, the campaign proved the power of timely brand investment. Externally, it re-centered the conversation around what makes BJ’s different in Boston, not polish or scale, but belonging.
TEAM
Creative Director: Keith Evans, Timothy Bildsten
Copywriter: Carly Smith
Design: Jonathan Biggs
Media: Noble