Kmart® Launches the First Brand-Produced U.S. Hispanic Video Series Distributed Through YouTube

USA - English

• Latin America - español

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill., Aug. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Kmart connects to Hispanic moms with the launch of Madres y Comadres, an eight-part original Spanish-language miniseries focused on two Hispanic mothers and the unique challenges they face raising a family in America while also remaining true to their Hispanic identity. The lighthearted webisodes are styled to resemble a mock 'telenovela' while using humor and emotion to tap into the challenges Hispanic women and their families face today. Kmart recently launched a custom YouTube channel as the hub for the series. YouTube.com/MadresyComadres

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/51568-kmart-madres-comadres-hispanic-moms-godmothers-back-to-school

"Kmart is a heritage brand with a rich history in America. We're passionate about the diversity of our customer base and excited about the opportunity to speak directly with our Hispanic customers while celebrating their culture and traditions," said Mark Snyder, chief marketing officer, Kmart. "The first episode of Madres y Comadres launched this month just in time for back to school and aligns with the recently launched Latina Smart Facebook page, allowing Kmart to develop a deeper relationship with Hispanic women who are both tech savvy, yet underserved from a content perspective."

One driving insight is the role that extended families play in Hispanic culture, leading to the title "Madres y Comadres" (Madre meaning mother, and 'Comadre' which translates to a mother's close female friend that she confides in). The scripted series is accompanied by twelve video interviews with real Hispanic moms from Mexico, Peru, Guatemala and Colombia coping with the nuances of raising American children in a traditional Hispanic household.

"Google is excited about being the supporting platform for the first brand-produced U.S. Hispanic series distributed through YouTube," said Mark Lopez, head of U.S. Hispanic at Google. "The content is highly relevant linguistically and culturally, and caters to U.S. Latina needs and interests. We're finding that most brands that engage the U.S. Hispanic market on a sustained basis are able to achieve brand development and sales growth by successfully establishing a deeper link with their consumer audience."

"Women are forced to play so many roles – mothers, housewives and professionals," said writer and director Alberto Ferreras best known for his long-running "Habla" documentary series on HBO Latino. "When you are a Latina, you have to be all that and bilingual and bicultural. These segments are a tribute to all mothers working so hard and learning from and supporting each other." Ferreras was tapped to direct the series by Kmart partner Meredith Corporation and their Meredith Video Studios arm.

The fully customized YouTube channel will include a wealth of content and robust functionality such as data capture, Facebook and Twitter social plug-ins and sharing features, and even shopable video. While YouTube will serve as the host channel for all video content, the holistic approach will include a dedicated Twitter account @MadresyComadres and Facebook media, consistent with the multiple platforms where Hispanic usage is outpacing other audience segments.

Content can be found at YouTube.com/MadresyComadres or follow on Twitter @madresycomadres. For more information or images for Kmart back to school, visit www.kmartepk.com.

About Kmart

Kmart, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), is a mass merchandising company that offers customers quality products through a portfolio of exclusive brands that includes Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, County Living, Route 66 and Smart Sense. For more information visit the company's website at www.kmart.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.

SOURCE Kmart