Sears Holdings Announces Selection of MPG as Media Planning and Buying Agency
Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), today announced that it has chosen MPG, the US based media company of global agency Havas, as the company's new media planning and buying media services agency of record effective May 23, 2007.
"We believe this agreement with MPG aligns us with an organization that can help us connect with and profitably serve our customers and achieve our goals of being a more efficient and effective company," said Maureen McGuire, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Sears Holdings. "After a rigorous review process, we determined that MPG is the right media services agency for Sears Holdings' business needs going forward. MPG has a proven track record in employing media solutions grounded in insights and facts that will integrate traditional and emerging media strategies seamlessly with the Sears Holdings' creative and marketing processes. MPG also has considerable expertise in reaching multicultural audiences which are extremely important to our business."
MPG's scope of work will include: media planning and buying for all television, radio, magazines, out-of-home, online and emerging media across all target customer audiences.
"This is a milestone day for our Company," said Charlie Rutman, CEO of MPG North America. "Throughout the pitch process the marketing teams from Sears and Kmart proved their reputation for being smart, fair and extremely professional. What's most exciting to us is that their commitment to using media to grow their business is second to none. Sears Holdings is exactly the kind of client we want to partner with."
MindShare and MEC Interaction, which currently handle Sears Holdings' media planning and buying services across offline and online media channels will assist in an orderly transition. "We thank Mindshare and MEC Interaction for their contributions and support," said McGuire.
About Sears Holdings Corporation
Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation's third largest broadline retailer, with approximately $50 billion in annual revenues, and with approximately 3,800 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, home electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering, including such well-known labels as Lands' End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has Martha Steward Everyday products, which are offered exclusively in the U.S. by Kmart and in Canada by Sears Canada. The Company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit Sears Holdings' website at http://www.searsholdings.com/
About MPG
The MPG North American network is part of the global media network of Havas, the worldwide marketing communications group. MPG provides media planning, buying, strategic consulting, branded entertainment and interactive services for a wide range of blue-chip clients. MPG has offices in 91 countries, with 3,500 media professionals working in a broad variety of disciplines.
First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: cbrathw@searshc.com
SOURCE: Sears Holdings Corporation
CONTACT: Chris Brathwaite of Sears Holdings Public Relations,
+1-847-286-4681; or Jan Sneed of MPG, +1-646-587-5019
Web site: http://www.searsholdings.com/