Solve captures True Value hardware ad account

The Minneapolis ad agency Solve announced Tuesday that it's been selected as agency of record for the True Value hardware store chain, a group of 3,300 retailer-owned stores.

Blake Fohl, True Value's vice president of marketing, said the Chicago-based company selected Solve for its "deep understanding of our brand and our owners."

Solve CEO John Colasanti called True Value "an iconic American brand and a true pillar of the communities it serves."

Solve said its first work for True Value, which includes brand strategy, multimedia creative and media planning, will launch in the spring.

The account is a major coup for a relatively small agency with a staff of 15 that is less than two years old. Other Solve clients include Medifast, Organic Valley, Best Buy, AutoWeek and Optum Pro Cycling.

True Value's advertising budget is in the neighborhood of $20 million a year, according to media reports.