Suffice it to say that the winter season hasn’t been too shabby for Barkley as the Kansas City-based, employee-owned agency has now been named AOR for closeout retail chain, Big Lots. The win comes just two weeks after Barkley took over as agency of record for Dairy Queen. According to the parties involved, Barkley beat out multiple agencies (we’re trying to find out who, of course) in the usual “competitive review” for Big Lots ad duties, which entail brand strategy, broadcast, print and in-store executions as well as web strategy/execution.

Regarding his company’s decision, Rob Claxton, SVP of marketing for the Columbus, OH-based Big Lots, says, “Barkley understood our strengths but also developed ideas that will help us get more credit for our value proposition. They really pushed us and the ideas were backed up by strong strategic insights.”

Big Lots has previously partnered up with agencies including Amalgamated and hometown shop, SBC Advertising, which once handled the brand’s for nearly 20 years.