We don’t shop at Kmart much, so we didn’t notice that the “blue light special” was gone…until we just read that they’re going to resurrect it. Again. At least, that’s what the Chicago Tribune says:

Sears is aiming to be a one-stop shop for the home, while Kmart is turning its discount stores into a “marketplace of discoveries,” Lampert’s chief marketing officer, Maureen McGuire, said as Lampert looked on.

Sears unveiled a new TV advertising campaign called “Sears. Where it Begins.” that taps into the store’s legendary Big Book catalog heritage. In it, actors walk among the pages of Sears catalogs, looking at larger-than-life images of everything from diamond rings to dishwashers, set to sunny, upbeat music.

Kmart’s new ad campaign likewise delves into its past. The discount chain has resurrected its “blue light special,” turning the famous tagline into a talking blue light bulb called “Mr. Blue Light.” The bulb advises shoppers to “turn on” to something new.

Again with the blue light?

Kmart feels like a lost cause to us, but what do we know? People have been saying Kmart is done since we can remember, yet they’re still around. Kmarts are like dandelions. They will never ever, ever be eliminated. —MEGHANN MARCO

Sears chief no longer hedges on strategy [Chicago Tribune]
(Photo:Los Cardinalos)

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