With
this in mind they revamped the floor plans and placed the items they knew the
patron would search out to the back of the stores which forced the customer to
pass by other product they did not realize was stocked by Sears. The placement
of other products, which had lagged in the past, in high traffic areas,
increased the sales of those items. Last but not least, once Sears had the
company market strategy drawn out; they needed to inform the public of the
changes they had made and figure out how they could meet the consumers needs.
Sears re-launched its successful Softer Side of Sears advertising campaign that
helped the company's turnaround by highlighting its renewed focus on women's
apparel. The new version of the Softer Side campaign, which included print and
broadcast ads, invited customers to Take Another Look at the fashions available
at Sears. The Softer Side of Sears” campaign achieves the key marketing
objectives. It changes customers' perception of Sears, drives traffic into the
stores, and demonstrates Sears’ commitment to offering customers stylish and
relevant women’s apparel, said Arthur C. Martinez, chairman and chief executive
officer of Sears. Now the challenge is to build greater loyalty with our
customer and reinforce Sears position as a destination place for apparel that
fits her lifestyle. Reinforcing Sears’ commitment to serving its primary
customer, a woman age 25 to 54 with a moderate household income, family and
home.
This campaign builds upon and personalizes Sears’ invitation to Come See
the Softer Side of Sears by illustrating that Sears has more than fashionable
apparel; it has the right apparel for her. The original Softer Side campaign,
Developed by Young & Rubicam New York, created new ads, three 30 second spots,
that premiered during the Emmy Awards on Sunday, September 13. The first print
ads appeared in October issues of women's general interest publications and
fashion magazines to increase public awareness. This very successful campaign
was the turning point for Sears as publicly stated. Our customers have told us
they identify with 'The Softer Side of Sears’ as a brand in itself, one they
trust for quality and strong values, said John H. Costello, senior executive
vice president of marketing at Sears. By enticing customers to take another
look, we're re-energizing the message that Sears is constantly changing, always
updating, and continuing to surprise the customer. The new advertising enables
Sears to maximize the impact of the Softer Side success and demonstrate the
company's ongoing efforts to reinvent and transform its apparel program to stay
relevant with the customer.
