Sears Canada has launched a new advertising campaign that mirrors the positioning of Sears Roebuck and Co., the u.s. company that owns 61% of the Canadian operation.
In the 14 years since Sears Roebuck first acquired a stake in it, Sears Canada has maintained its own identity and stressed that it was distinct from its parent company.
Over the past five years, Sears Canada has worked hard to reposition itself with brand rather than product/price advertising, and to refocus the stores on key fashion and hard goods categories, including the opening of five separate Whole Home Stores for furniture and decorating needs.
This year, just as Sears began experiencing strong financial improvement, due in part to its marketing strategy, it split with its agency of five years, Bozell Retail (previously called Prism Communications), and moved to Young & Rubicam of Toronto in order to align itself more closely with Sears Roebuck.
Rick Sorby, executive vice-president of marketing, says Sears Roebuck has been very successful in positioning itself in the u.s. marketplace, starting around 1993, with its ‘Softer Side’ and ‘Many Sides’ campaigns.
‘I think we’ve got to gain by working with them on some synergies and our approach to the market, although we are very much Canadian,’ he says, adding that the move to Y&R made sense because the agency has done great work south of the border for the American Sears.
Besides fashion, the primary focus for Sears Canada will still be its Kenmore- and Craftsman-branded appliances and other hard goods.
This is reflected in the new campaign from y&r which includes 60- and 30-second television spots featuring an adapted Canadian version of the u.s. jingles, with notable additions such as the names of Canada’s provinces or popular regions such as the Golden Horseshoe.
Visually, there are a number of Canadian icons as well.
The integrated campaign also involves print, radio, and promotional advertising, pr and in-store communications.
The new positioning coincides with the announcement of a three-year, $300-million renovation of its 110 stores across Canada.
