• Brandweek, Friday, October 17, 2008 12:30 PM

A new Kmart campaign features Mr. Blue Light -- Kmart's animated light bulb -- promoting the retailer's layaway service as a way to get gifts at affordable prices in time for Christmas. It positions the company as the only mass discount retailer to offer such a service, and targets moms with household incomes starting at $50,000.

"People are going to have to be very creative this year to get Santa to show up," says Terry Brophey, vp, integrated marketing communications at Kmart. "And the whole campaign is based on promoting value."

With the current economic downturn, retailers stand to benefit from such services and analysts predict more advertising that promotes bargains. Rival Wal-Mart also offered a layaway plan to consumers, but phased out the service in 2006 because of declining use and rising costs.

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