Teens Create a "Haul Nation" This Back-to-School Season With jcpenney

PLANO, Texas, July 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- jcpenney, America's shopping destination for great style at compelling prices, today announced "Haul Nation," an integrated marketing program giving stylish teens an opportunity to share their passion for fashion via video blogging.  In partnership with Seventeen.com, jcpenney's Haul Nation will come to life through an online contest on the jcpTeen and Seventeen Facebook pages and in malls across the country giving young people the tools they need to create haul videos and enter to win a trip to New York City.

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"Haul Nation allows us to use social media and in-mall events to connect with tech-savvy teens and remind them to dream big by leveraging a platform where anything is possible, which is the theme for our Back-to-School advertising," said Bill Gentner, interim chief marketing officer, jcpenney.  "We're inspired by the confidence and influence of today's teens. They are true evangelists, sharing their individual style and encouraging others to take the latest trends and make them their own."

An online contest, which is part of the integrated marketing program, kicks off on July 22nd and runs through August 20th.  "How I Haul" videos hosted by popular fashion haulers, Annie St. John, Alex DiFabio and CiCi Dawn will launch the contest, showcasing their personal hauling style and inviting others to create their own 3- to 5- minute video for the chance to win amazing prizes.  A panel of fashion experts, including Stylist Stacey Kalchman, Makeup Artist Emily Kate Warren and Photographer Ben Fink Shapiro will provide encouragement, counsel and advice for haulers throughout the contest.  jcpTeen Facebook fans will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite videos, and the hauler with the most votes will win the grand prize which will include:

• A trip to New York
• A tour of the Seventeen magazine offices
• An opportunity to contribute a guest blog post on Seventeen.com or Kaboodle.com
• One (1) $100 jcpenney gift card
• One (1) iPad 2 tablet

Five second-prize winners will also win one iPad 2 tablet along with a $100 jcpenney gift card.

"I never dreamed that my haul videos would allow me to do such amazing things and open so many doors," says Hauler Annie St. John. "It's so cool to partner with jcpenney again and connect with other teens to share something I love and am so passionate about."  

Additionally, in four select markets, teens will have the opportunity to create their hauls immediately after shopping at in-mall Haul Nation Stations.  Host Hauler's will be on hand to provide advice and personal shopping tips.

The four markets will include:

*July 30, 2011 – New York City, Manhattan Mall

*August 6, 2011 – Chicago, Woodfield Mall

*August 13, 2011 - Orlando, Florida Mall

*August 20, 2011 – Miami, Aventura Mall

Media Contacts:
Danika Berry or Ann Marie Bishop; 972-431-3400; jcpcorpcomm@jcpenney.com

About J. C. Penney Company, Inc.

J. C. Penney Company, Inc., one of America's leading retailers, operates over 1,100 jcpenney department stores throughout the United States and Puerto Rico, as well as one of the largest apparel and home furnishing sites on the Internet, jcp.com. Serving more than half of America's families each year, the jcpenney brand offers a wide array of private, exclusive and national brands which reflect the Company's vision to be America's shopping destination for discovering great styles at compelling prices. Traded as "JCP" on the New York Stock Exchange, the $17.8 billion retailer is transforming its organization to support its Long Range Plan strategies to build a sustainable, profitable enterprise that serves its customers, engages its associates and rewards its shareholders. For more information, visit www.jcpenney.net.

About Seventeen

Seventeen (www.seventeen.com) is the best-selling monthly teen magazine, reaching more than 13 million readers every month. In each issue, Seventeen reports on the latest in fashion, beauty, health and entertainment, as well as information and advice on the complex real-life issues that young women face every day. Readers can interact with the brand on the digital front, with the Seventeen Ultimate Fashion Flipbook iPhone app as well as with the monthly edition of the magazine on the iPad. In addition to its U.S. flagship, Seventeen publishes 13 editions around the world. Seventeen is published by Hearst Magazines, one of the nation's largest diversified communications companies. Once it completes its acquisition of Lagardere SCA's 100 titles in 14 countries outside of France, Hearst Magazines will publish more than 300 editions around the world, including 20 U.S. titles. Hearst Magazines is a leading publisher of monthly magazines in the U.S. in terms of total circulation and reaches 88 million adults (Spring 2010 MRI).

SOURCE jcpenney