dpJ.C. Penney is on a quest to turn the tables on off-price retailers, which have been taking market share from department stores for years.
In a new campaign dubbed “retail rejuvenation,” described as a journey from “retail regret to retail redemption,” Penney touts its apparel as more fashionable and its home goods as in better shape than what can be found at its discount rivals.
The premise of the campaign is that, rather than a treasure hunt, shopping at off-pricers is a mess and the finds are mistakes. From Aug. 28 through Aug. 30, shoppers who regret a purchase made elsewhere can drop the item off at a J.C. Penney store and get $15 off a $50 purchase, the company said in a press release Monday.
J.C. Penney is driving this home in a tongue-in-cheek spot with six people apparently hooked on off-price shopping. A passive-aggressive retreat facilitator works to break the spell off-price stores have on them, then gets them to chant, cult-like, in favor of Penney instead.
“Will you carry on with your destructive deal-hunting ways, or will you get a great deal on a better, more fashionable life from J.C. Penney?” she asks the group. “Joseph, do you choose this stray off-brand skillet with a giant scratch on it, or this eight-piece ceramic cookware set by celebrity chef Martha Stewart?”
The department store has an uphill climb. Off-price giants like TJX, Ross and Burlington consistently report rising sales and continue to expand their already large footprints. J.C. Penney’s sales continue to slide, falling nearly 5% in its most recent quarter.
