Sears' New Ad: No One Shops Here, So We Have Plenty of Parking!

Sears pokes fun at itself, but is anyone else laughing?
Published
Michael Bonebright
BY:
Former Senior Blog Editor

Where Kmart tried to shock shoppers into its stores with this year's holiday ad campaign, its sister company Sears seems to have something else on its mind: the retail chain's increasingly ghost town-like atmosphere.

In the commercial below, two movie-going ladies choose to leave their car outside a Sears because "Sears always has parking!" As Business Insider pointed out, the ad comes off as being little too self-aware, as "an open Sears store was cited for urban blight last month for appearing abandoned." To be certain, it's an odd ad choice for a company that's had to sell off pieces of itself recently.

What's more, this Sears ad wasn't even the first time TV audiences were treated to an allusion to the ailing company's unoccupied retail locations this year. In an October episode of Family Guy, Lois and Peter wander into a Sears in search of clothes, only to find it's been transformed into a Mad Max-esque wasteland.

What do you think, readers? Is Sears offering up a little self-deprecating humor with its latest ad, or is the spot an actual cry for help? Give us your takeaway in the comments below!

Michael Bonebright
Former Senior Blog Editor

Michael added the finishing touches to most of the Blog articles on DealNews. His work has appeared on sites like Lifehacker, the Huffington Post, and MSN Money. See him rant about video games by following him on Twitter @ThatBonebright.
DealNews may be compensated by companies mentioned in this article. Please note that, although prices sometimes fluctuate or expire unexpectedly, all products and deals mentioned in this feature were available at the lowest total price we could find at the time of publication (unless otherwise specified).

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7 comments
tjmasters
Seems to me Sears could take a lesson from the American auto makers. When they started producing a good product at a fair price guess what happened? Can trust any of the old brands any more they are more interested in selling warranties then providing a good product. I'd like to shop there again, I really would.
December 21, 2013
Twig
Normally I think this might have worked.

Unfortunately it looks like Sears used the same agency that produced the recent Obama Care ads. Sorta clever, sorta lame.

It won't affect my Sears-shopping pattern, I'll still use the curb-side pick up counter. I'm out in 5 minutes.
December 19, 2013
Chin Kong
I always buy from Sears when possible. They support their workers, especially those who have served abroad. That's worth it for the deals or even paying more.

I'm anti-war, it's the principle that counts. I'm glad Sears has hung in this long.
December 19, 2013
mach5jeep
I can find good deals at Sears sometimes. Always good for tools but Home Depot and Lowe's are giving them a run for their money in that department also. But honestly I think they have the most sterile, uninviting stores ever dreamed up. The clothes, furniture, bedding...all bland. I think the multilevel department store has run it's course. Walmarts are all one level which makes it easy to push a cart around. You can't take a cart up the escalator at Sears. The local Kmart looks like a swap meet. The floor was so dirty at Kmart I thought I was still in the parking lot. It was dark, musty, and junky.
December 19, 2013
ibex333
Well it's no wonder! SEARS has always been ripping people off, but now thanks to the internet, people are more informed, people got more choices. People compare prices and understand that its cheaper to shop online than to let SEARS continue ripping customers off.
December 19, 2013
Lindsay Sakraida (DealNews)
@FresnoMan Just because a store is struggling doesn't mean they don't have good deals. Frequently it's the opposite because the retailer needs to try harder to get your business.
December 19, 2013
valkyrie911
I don't like going in Sears. I think that they put the nail in their coffin when they merged with Kmart, which is another store I will avoid at all costs. They do not feel like they belong in this century, yet they are way overpriced.
December 19, 2013