Sears Holdings Corp. and its Sears Auto Center stores unveiled a new integrated national campaign via McGarryBowen that will showcase the brand’s commitment to re-connecting with customers through trust and peace of mind when it comes to auto maintenance and repair. The effort uses TV, radio, outdoor, digital and refreshed in-store signage and public relations initiatives.
The campaign includes:
–Both 15-second and 30-second TV spots that illustrate the anxieties of car repairs from the customer’s perspective, and highlights Sears Auto Center’s strong investment to do what’s right for the customer every time by providing certified, helpful automotive technicians.
–Radio commercials that capture attention through a straightforward approach that invites listeners to stop by neighborhood Sears Auto Centers, the only automotive service provider open seven days a week, for service with the latest automotive maintenance technologies.
–Outdoor billboards highlight the Sears Auto Center commitment to honest vehicle maintenance at convenient locations nationwide.
–Public Relations initiatives targeting customers through localized, grass roots activations and national promotions that showcase breadth of offerings and follow the campaign commitment that Sears Auto Center fulfills an important need in communities across the U.S.
–Digital menu boards now being tested in Sears Auto Center waiting rooms that help associates explain key repair services and why they are needed, as well as programming such as movie reviews, celebrity news and more to keep customers entertained while they wait for their cars.
–New in-store signage
“When we looked at Sears Auto Center, we realized that they are not only a category leader, but they have this huge supply of trust that their customers give them credit for. In a way, the new campaign just leverages the truth that is already out there,” said Kevin Thoem, Group Creative Director at McGarryBowen. “From a creative standpoint, we selected the ‘Big Bad Wolf’ score because it allows us to poke a little fun at the competition.”
The new ads and signage bring to life Sears Auto Center’s understanding of car maintenance anxieties and frustrations, but also reaffirms the brand’s commitment to provide reliable and convenient service. The campaign has been running in six test markets and has elevated business, and go national 8/12. This campaign is a breakthrough for the category and drives home the trust people have in Sears when it comes to maintaining and caring for their cars.
Most of the ads are accompanied by the tagline, “This is the exception to the rule; This is Sears Auto Center.”
See one of the ads here:
