Pushing ahead with its Big Apple theme, Duane Reade Inc. is rolling out its second wave of print advertisements throughout New York City.

The metropolitan New York drug store chain said that this week its latest round of print ads will start appearing on buses, subways, phone kiosks, billboards and other outdoor spaces across the city. The effort is a key marketing component of a business transformation at the company begun last year.

Pushing ahead with its Big Apple theme, Duane Reade Inc. is rolling out its second wave of print advertisements throughout New York City.

The metropolitan New York drug store chain said Monday that this week its new print ads will start appearing on buses, subways, phone kiosks, billboards and other outdoor spaces across the city. The initial ad blitz was launched in July.

Continuing the campaign slogan "Your city. Your drugstore. Duane Reade" as well as the company’s "New York Living Made Easy" brand mantra, the latest round of ads speaks directly to Duane Reade customers and features a Gotham-inspired, black-and-white motif to reflect that Duane Reade understands what it takes to live in the city day in and day out, according to the 253-store chain.

For example, one ad reads, "For the city that never sleeps, we have something for that too," while another says, "Where the toughest people get the softest toilet paper." And to remind consumers that Duane Reade is the city’s largest drug chain, another ad reads, "Germs are everywhere. And so are we."

City backdrops in the ads also convey the flavor of New York City life, Duane Reade said. Picturing a subway car pulling into a station, one ad reads, "You know the A, C and E are also vitamins," in reference to three subway lines. Another shows the city skyline at dusk with the simple message, "How to survive on an island."

Duane Reade notes that the campaign is a marketing component of a business transformation that has been under way since late last year, in which the company has aggressively moved to optimize stores, rein in costs and bolster its brand image.

"The campaign is a highly visible part of the many positive changes under way at Duane Reade," acting chief marketing officer Joe Jackman said in a statement. "With this latest wave of creative, we’re continuing to communicate directly with New Yorkers to establish a unique voice for our brand. As Duane Reade is part of the fabric of life in the city, we think it’s important that this dialogue take place on the streets, on city subways and buses, and in our stores. Moreover, we are delighted that our customers are telling us that the ads really resonate and feel right."

The first phase of the campaign, created by the New York advertising agency DeVito/Verdi, was aimed at encouraging New Yorkers to think of Duane Reade as their hometown drug store, featuring ads with such lines as "The one place even tourists can find," and "Prescriptions. Easier to get than taxicabs."