Work Submission: Stein Mart's New Digital Campaign Stars Loyal and Passionate Customers

In thinking of any store with the word "mart" included in their title, sophisticated marketing is perhaps not the first thing that comes to mind. Cheap, yes. Accessible, definitely. But now, Stein Mart is adding web-savvy to the list with an integrated campaign concentrated on digital and social engagement. As the old saying goes, don't judge a mart by its name. Check out Stein Mart and ArnoldNYC's pitch below:

Jacksonville, FL, September 13, 2011 – National discount department store Stein Mart, in partnership with its new ad agency, ArnoldNYC, announced today the launch of “Love at First Find,” a national campaign focusing heavily on digital and social engagement. The integrated effort–consisting of digital, social media, TV, print and radio–stars real Stein Mart customers with the goal of fostering an online community of fans via Facebook and Stein Mart’s website. The campaign is the first work from ArnoldNYC since being awarded creative AOR in June 2011.

Beginning September 12, a collection of videos depicting customers’ favorite merchandise finds will be featured in a mosaic on Stein Mart’s revamped homepage, where visitors will be encouraged to upload their own “Love at First Find” videos. The site acts as a Stein Mart community where enthusiasts can also comment on the videos, “like” and post to Facebook, and sort by categories, such as hometown. Alongside the website community, Stein Mart is leveraging Facebook to connect with fans and publicize sales and promotions.

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In addition, 40 real-life customers were chosen in Stein Mart stores in California to star in TV ads, which were filmed both in store and in customer homes. The modern mosaic design featured on the website informed the look and approach for the TV ads.

“Stein Mart customers are known for having a deep passion and loyalty – not just for the merchandise but for the brand itself. In watching the customer videos, we were so blown away by their enthusiasm in describing their Stein Mart shopping experiences, we wanted to create an online community of Stein Mart brand ambassadors and make them the center of our advertising campaign,” said John Staffen, Chief Creative Officer, ArnoldNYC.

The campaign aims to appeal to 35-55 year old shoppers. Stein Mart is a nationwide department store based in Jacksonville, Florida with more than 260 stores in 29 states. The brand offers a wide range of merchandise including current-season, brand name fashion for women and men, accessories, home décor, linens and shoes, all priced up to 60% below department store prices.

Glori Katz, SVP of Marketing, Stein Mart added, “We feel this new tagline ‘Love at First Find’ reflects the excitement and passion customers have for Stein Mart, our distinctive merchandise and the values we offer. The new advertising looks fresh and modern and creating the online community is a wonderful idea.
“Our uniquely loyal customers readily share their finds and love of the brand on our very active Facebook page and through our Customer Panel, so the online community is a great next step to harness this ‘love’ to attract new customers.”

So there you have it. Stein Mart surveyed their assets (their customers) and transformed them into spokespeople; a local approach for a national company. It will be interesting to see if others are passionate enough to submit their own videos. If they are, Stein Mart's got a winning strategy; people want to hear reviews from credible reviewers they can relate to. If all your friends are falling in love at first find, you'll be inspired to go on your own hunt.

About Stein Mart
Stein Mart stores offer the fashion merchandise, service and presentation of a better department or specialty store, at prices competitive with off-price retail chains. Currently with locations from California to Massachusetts, Stein Mart's focused assortment of merchandise features current season, moderate to better fashion apparel for women and men, as well as accessories, shoes and home fashions.

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Additional information about Stein Mart, Inc. can be found at http://www.steinmart.com

About Arnold Worldwide
Arnold (www.arnoldworldwide.com) is a global communications company and one of the top five most creatively awarded agencies of the past decade. We are proud to represent a diverse portfolio of clients, including Aetna, Amtrak, Carnival Cruise Lines, Dell, Fidelity Investments, The Hershey Company, Huntington Bank, Lee Jeans, McDonald’s, New Balance, Ocean Spray, Panasonic, Progressive, Titleist, truth®, Tyson, Unilever, Volvo and many other great brands. Arnold delivers services across all communication touch points – advertising, digital, promotions, direct, design, branded content – and is part of Havas Worldwide with offices in Boston, New York, Washington DC, Toronto, London, Amsterdam, Prague, Milan, Madrid, Melbourne, Moscow, Lisbon, Sydney, São Paulo and Shanghai.