JCPenney pairs Twitter with TV, focusing on a penny's value
JCPenney is coupling social media marketing with television spots to put the focus on its range of quality brands, hoping to change the way consumers think about the retailer and supporting the new Get Your Penney?s Worth promotion.
The department store is hoping to shift its image toward a retailer that boasts a large base of sought-after brands such as Nike, Liz Claiborne, KitchenAid, and Levi?s through a large push on Twitter with Periscope streams, a new hashtag and polls. The Get Your Penney?s Worth campaign is also attempting to promote the value of a penny for its new series of sales in which products will be available for only a penny.
"JCPenney?s new campaign, Get Your Penney?s Worth, was introduced to reinforce the company's mission of making sure that every shopping trip to our stores and online is worth our customer?s time, money and effort," said Christina Voss, manager of corporate communications at JC Penney's. "For our new campaign, we are engaging our core customers and the Modern American Mom through various marketing platforms including mobile, social media and tv promotions.
"We know that our Modern American Mom is an avid mobile user, therefore we will use a mix of impactful branding ads and targeted mobile demographic outreach to entice her visit our stores," he said. "We also know that 76 percent of adult women use Facebook and show their support for a brand through social media.
"So, we have teamed up with social media influencers to provide unexpected surprises and spread generosity through the power of the penny."
Partying with pennies
Followers of JCPenney?s on Twitter are being inundated with a variety of content from the department store to kick off its Get Your Penney?s Worth sales campaign. The retailer has developed its own Twitter emoji that depicts a penny with the letters JCP in the center to coincide with the theme of the campaign, as well as the hashtag #SoWorthIt.
During the Oscars, the department store shared various tweets merging the theme of the awards show with its campaign. For instance, one tweet read ?#IWouldAlsoLikeToThank activewear for making us feel all put together, even while we are watching an award show on our couch,? along with the #SoWorthIt hashtag and its penny emoji.
Numerous polls have been shared on the department store?s Twitter page, asking followers what they would do if they saw a penny on the ground. For select users who are tweeting JCPenney with content regarding pennies, the retailer is sharing digital gift cards.
Live streams on Periscope were shared yesterday morning featuring actress Kristin Chenoweth and blogger Jessica Harlow playing a penny drop game with passersby on the streets of New York and answering Q&As. The game allows participants to drop a penny in a life-sized board filled with spokes and receive a gift card for whichever amount it lands on.
A television ad promoting the campaign is airing in both English and Spanish. The campaign is made up of various sales in which customers can purchase one item and get another for only a penny on select brands.
JCPenney social buzz
JCPenney also leveraged social media buzz concerning a post about a dress that provoked a debate late last year over the color of the garment's stripes, underscoring how mobile moments can help brands connect with today's consumers (see more).
The department store also crushed it on Tumblr in 2015 with sponsored posts that drew significant engagement by pairing visually appealing imagery with humorous copy ? both unflinchingly brief (see more).
"All campaign elements will be supported by the hashtag #SoWorthIt," Ms. Voss said. "On Feb. 28, the Company debuted a new 30-second branded broadcast spot aired on cable and prime time networks featuring the Modern American Mom and highlighted our private brands and perception shifting brands such as Nike and KitchenAid.
"Marketing for this new campaign is robust and multi-faceted because we want to be where she is with the right message," she said.