DCA & MyA Develop New Multicultural Kmart Campaigns.

Don Coleman Advertising (DCA) and its sister agency Montemayor y Asociados make music transcend markets in one new Kmart multicultural ad campaign and zoom in on regional Hispanic targets in another.

Don Coleman Advertising has brought Kmart’s BlueLight brand logo to life through new computer-animated characters called “BlueLights.” Featured in Kmart’s new BlueLight Always general-market advertising campaign promoting the company’s lowered prices on more than 30,000 items, the hip-swinging, music-loving illuminating spotlights were born and raised in Kmart’s hometown of Motown – Detroit. In the DCA-produced commercials, the “BlueLights” are hard at work reducing prices. Everything they shine their lights on instantly becomes a great value, thus rewarding Kmart’s customers. Working by moonlight while jamming to Get Down Tonight, “BlueLights” just don’t quit!

“Music is a building-block component of multicultural marketing. In these campaigns, sister agencies have used a cultural symbol – music – in very distinct ways to create brand awareness for Kmart and to align Kmart more directly with its consumers’ needs and wants,” said Don Coleman, President and CEO of DCA. “Kmart gave DCA the task of creating animated characters that embodied their vision of the BlueLight brand and its meaning to consumers. The ‘Blue Lights’ create an easily identifiable and compelling visual identity for the brand that transcends markets.”

The 30- and 15-second television spots featuring “BlueLights” began airing nationally Aug. 30 on major broadcast and cable networks. In addition to the general market and African-American media schedules, a Spanish-language version of the Get Down Tonight BlueLights campaign is also airing on Hispanic networks.

“A to’ Mix” Hispanic Heritage Month Campaign

Spanish-language music became the bond between two regional groups in Montemayor y Asociados’ Hispanic Heritage Month “A to’ Mix” promotional campaign for Kmart’s Latin music departments. “A to’ Mix,” whose name derives from “Tu música, a todo mix” (“Your hot music mix”), featured popular regional Mexican and tropical/Caribbean music in two special promotional CD recordings. The buy-two-get-one-free-promo-CD offer, which ran during September, included in-store P-O-S and Spanish-language TV and radio spots in key Hispanic markets nationwide.

“With ‘A to’ Mix,’ we used regional musical tastes and a spot media buy to target specific Hispanic groups within our diverse population,” said Carlos Montemayor, President, Montemayor y Asociados. “We gave consumers in those markets what they wanted to hear, both in the TV spots and on the promo CDs, and sent them to the stores with the message that Kmart has more of their music.”

“Kmart is focused on reaching the broad multi-cultural audience that shops its stores nationwide,” said Randy Allen, Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Chief Diversity Officer of Kmart. “Marketing efforts such as the Spanish-language “BlueLight Always” commercials and the ‘A to’ Mix’ campaign properly position Kmart among the important Hispanic consumer market.”