Stuart Elliott
JC Penney, a retailer with middle-American roots, intends to make a grand entrance with its first store in Manhattan, a place at the heart of retailing. The campaign, which is estimated to cost as much as $1 million, seeks to demonstrate that Penney will be at home in Manhattan.
The potential ?halo effect? on the Penney brand of opening and operating a store in the fashion and media capital of the country has inspired the extensive campaign, said Mike Boylson, executive vice-president and chief marketing officer at the JC Penney Co in Plano, Texas. ?A special case gets a special level of attention,? he added.
?When you consider how expensive it is to live in New York, I think people will appreciate the style and quality? of Penney merchandise, Boylson said, which is sold ?at affordable prices.? On July 31, Penney plans to open its first store in Manhattan, which will join stores in three other boroughs, the Bronx, Queens and Staten Island.
The Manhattan store?in the Manhattan Mall at Herald Square, 33rd Street and Avenue of the Americas?is the subject of a major, multimedia marketing campaign, a rarity for Penney, which usually promotes store openings with print and radio advertising.
In addition to the special ads, there will be shopping bags designed for the store, highlighting the letters ?NYC? inside the name ?JCPenney,? along with other customised touches such as a unique logo, celebrity events and tailored content on a website (jcpnewstores.com/nyc).
?It will give them a real break in their pocketbook,? Boylson added?a good argument for shopping at a store during a recession. Still, arriving now in Manhattan, where many a retailer has foundered even in good times, is a risk for Penney, which had its headquarters in Manhattan before moving to Plano in 1988.
?We?re seeing some businesses start to get stronger,? Boylson said of Penney?s merchandise offerings, but ?our customer is obviously still feeling the pinch.?
That is why a large part of the campaign for the Manhattan store is devoted to reaching out to shoppers who are not Penney customers, he added, as they are ?opting for much more affordable price points.?
To that end, the campaign takes a direct, even cheeky tack?New York style?to lure customers of other stores.
?Our neighbors must be shaking in their overpriced boots,? an ad asserts. Another ad promises: ?NYC style. JCP prices.?
After all, famous brands that got their start during the 1930s include Snickers, Monopoly and Fortune magazine. And Macy?s held its annual Thanksgiving Day parade ? with Santa Claus as the finale ?throughout the Great Depression.
