Old brands like Sears sure love old media

Perhaps it's really fitting that this press release for the new Sears campaign, "Where It Begins," from Young and Rubicam, Chicago, reads like a release from about 1987, save for an oblique reference to the existence of Sears.com. Old brands still love old media, it seems. Let's quote: "The new brand spot (:30 and :60 versions) tells one couple's story and illustrates the role Sears plays in it through the years. Every turn of the page in their book from Sears marks a new chapter in their lives, as they move into a new home, their family grows, and they celebrate family occasions." After that, there's a long list of all the places where Sears bought super-expensive time, including "American Idol," "Desperate Housewives," and, naturally, the Sears-sponsored show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," but I tried to find the campaign on YouTube this morning—thinking maybe, just maybe if the company was that serious about spreading the word it would've posted the spots—but no. Meanwhile, the Sears Web site, which is supposed to use the same book theme of the commercials, showed no signs this morning that it knew the expensive TV campaign existed.


To contrast, another campaign launched yesterday. This one from Orbitz, in its first effort since moving from Young and Rubicam Chicago to Mullen. Now the commercials, aren't great—in fact the Chicago Sun-Times' Lewis Lazare gave the campaign an F—but at least Orbitz has posted them all to the Web.