Staples Brings Back the Iconic Easy Button for its 20th Anniversary

FRAMINGHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 28, 2025--

In celebration of the Easy Button’s 20th anniversary, Staples is bringing back the beloved icon — a move that transcends nostalgia. First introduced in 2005, the Easy Button and its unforgettable catchphrase, “That was easy,” quickly became a pop culture hit, with millions of buttons sold and a lasting place in offices, classrooms, and internet memes alike.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250528132531/en/

Now, it returns as a symbol of how Staples has evolved to meet the needs of today’s customers and the realities of modern life. Because, let’s face it, life isn’t easy. From juggling new ways of working to navigating the growing demands at home and on the job, educators, parents, and businesses of every size are balancing more than ever. That’s why “easy” still matters and why Staples is more committed than ever to simplifying life for its customers.

“The Easy Button stood for more than convenience. It represented how Staples took the stress out of getting things done,” said Marshall Warkentin, President, Staples U.S. Retail. “Twenty years later, that promise still holds true — just in more meaningful ways. We now support customers with a breadth of services and solutions, from print and marketing to tech support, shipping, travel, returns, and more.”

“We are thrilled to bring back the Easy Button as a reflection of everything Staples and Staples Business stands for, from supporting school districts, to serving the nation’s leading healthcare systems, and partnering with Fortune 500 companies,” added Michele Parzianello, Chief Sales Officer, Staples Business. “Our expertise extends far beyond office supplies – from janitorial products and breakroom snacks to technology accessories and waiting room furniture.”

The Easy Button returns with a new advertising campaign designed to shift perceptions around the breadth of Staples’ and Staples Business’ expertise. The work features bold creative across out-of-home, digital, social, radio, and streaming platforms, quite literally opening the iconic red button to reveal how far the brand has evolved. At the center of it all, the Easy Button, aka E.B., is stepping out of the store aisles and into your social feeds, bringing a fresh, witty voice to today’s conversations about work. From productivity tips to sharp takes on LinkedIn, E.B. offers a playful perspective on the realities of modern work.

“This campaign is more than a cultural comeback, it’s a bold reintroduction of the Easy Button and what it represents for consumers and businesses in 2025,” said Amy Steel Vanden-Eykel, Chief Marketing Officer, Staples. “Staples has evolved as a business and as a brand, and we’re excited to share how our team of experts today is making work and life easier than ever before. Through this clever, humorous campaign, we’re personifying “E.B.” the Easy Button and putting him back into the spotlight in fresh, relevant ways that will resonate with today’s customers.”

Looking for an E.B. of your own? Staples is offering an exclusive promotion: get a FREE Staples Easy Button with any $50 purchase in-store or online ( offer valid May 28–June 7, 2025, while supplies last¹).

Learn more: https://www.staples.com/thatwaseasy

About Staples
For nearly 40 years, Staples has been a trusted leader in delivering end-to-end workplace solutions for consumers and businesses of all sizes across a broad range of industries. The company provides a comprehensive portfolio of products, strategic solutions, and services including print and marketing, shipping, technology, and travel. Its specialized assortment includes high-quality office supplies, janitorial products, technology, furniture, and breakroom essentials, all supported by best-in-class supply chain capabilities and a dedicated team of experts committed to making the workday easier. Headquartered near Boston, Massachusetts, Staples operates throughout North America via direct B2B sales, e-commerce, and more than 900 retail stores. To learn more, visit your local U.S. Staples store, download the Staples app, explore Staples.com or StaplesBusiness.com, or follow @Staples on social media.

1 This offer is available both in retail locations and online. Expires 6/7/25. Valid on item no. 606396 only. Must have Staples® app to redeem in store or add coupon to cart to redeem online. Limit 1. Exclusions apply. While supplies last. See Staples® app for details.

That was easy

Staples Shopping Bags

Staples Delivery Truck

Easy Button, aka E.B.

Easy is back.

NEW DELHI (AP) — India has begun the world’s largest national population count, which could reshape welfare programs and political representation across the country.

The previous census in 2011 recorded a population of 1.21 billion. It's now estimated to be more than 1.4 billion, making India the most populous nation.

The new census had been planned for 2021 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and logistical challenges.

Here’s how India’s census works and why it is significant:

The first phase of the count started Wednesday and will roll out around the country through September. The workers will spend about a month in each area collecting information on homes and available facilities and will document housing stock and living conditions.

The exercise will blend in-person surveys with a digital option where residents can submit information through a multilingual smartphone application that integrates satellite-based mapping.

The second phase to be conducted from September to next April 1 will record more detailed information like people's social and economic characteristics, including religion and caste.

More than 3 million government workers are expected to be deployed over the course of the year. In 2011, nearly 2.7 million enumerators surveyed more than 240 million households nationwide.

The second phase of the census will attempt a broader accounting of caste beyond historically marginalized groups.

Caste is an ancient system of social hierarchy in India and is influential in defining social standing and deciding who gets access to resources, education and economic opportunity. There are hundreds of caste groups based on occupation and economic status across India, particularly among Hindus, but the country has limited or outdated data on how many people belong to them.

The last attempt to gather detailed caste information through a census dates to 1931, during British colonial rule. Since independent India’s first census in 1951, it counted only Dalits and Adivasis, members of marginalized groups known as scheduled castes and tribes.

Successive governments have resisted conducting a full caste count, arguing it could heighten social tensions and trigger unrest.

Population data collected through the census underpins the distribution of government welfare programs and a wide range of public policies.

It could also prompt a redrawing of India’s political map, as seats in the lower house of Parliament and state legislatures may be increased to reflect population growth. A 2023 law reserves one-third of legislative seats for women, so any expansion would raise the number of seats set aside for female representatives.

Irfan Ahmad checks census registration online at a registration center as the street is reflected on the glass in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

A Muslim woman checks her census registration online at a registration center in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, April 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

FILE -Mahesh Shah, left, stands as his family members look while census worker Rumima Das, writes the information on a paper on the first day of the national census at Ramsingh Chapori village, east of Gauhati, India, April 1, 2010. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath, File)

FILE - Indians crowd ticket counters at a railway station in Ahmadabad, India, Oct. 23, 2011. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki, File)