Kmart to leverage immersive branding and retail opportunities through original comedy from Alloy Entertainment -- creators and executive producers of young adult mega-hits, "Pretty Little Liars", "Vampire Diaries", "Gossip Girl", and Web success, "Private"
NEW YORK, Aug. 30, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alloy Media + Marketing, a leading provider of youth-focused innovative media, today announced the scheduled Aug. 31, 2010 premiere of First Day (www.firstdaytheseries.com), an original comedy Web series airing bi-weekly on Alloy's premium multi-platform digital entertainment network, AlloyTV (www.alloytv.com). Alloy has teamed with Kmart in creating an original script with product integration into the eight-episode series, in addition to collaborating on an extended digital promotion for its recently introduced fall fashion lines: Selena Gomez for Dream Out Loud, Rebecca Bonbon and Bongo.
First Day was created by Alloy Entertainment, a division of Alloy Media + Marketing, which also created and produced well-known mega hits such as Pretty Little Liars, Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl as well as the online success, Private. First Day follows a teenage girl who repeatedly relives her first day at a new school. The series stars Tracey Fairaway from Make it or Break It, and Elizabeth McLaughlin from Ugly Betty and The Clique.
"We were excited to collaborate with Alloy in creating groundbreaking content that complemented our primary back-to-school digital efforts with a highly entertaining Web series in First Day," said Mark Snyder, chief marketing officer for Kmart. "This project has strong appeal for teens and tweens, featuring a fun storyline that will resonate with our target audience and deliver through an ideal platform. First Day allows Kmart to showcase its exclusive fashion brands to influential customers in a dynamic and relevant online environment where young people are spending increasing hours. The digital experience is perfect for an audience that demands media on its own time."
Kmart and its retail brands will receive extended promotion during the course of the series, with additional media running throughout the Alloy Digital Network and via Alloy's Channel One Network, the leading television news broadcast for teens, reaching an audience of more than six million teens on a daily basis.
First Day will also feature a unique retail component in each episode. Kmart will "hotspot" its fashions throughout the series, enabling viewers to buy the inspired looks worn by the lead characters by means of a direct link to the products on the Kmart website (www.kmart.com). Viewers will also have the chance to participate in a sweepstakes, where one lucky winner and a guest will visit New York City for a complete head-to-toe makeover, including a Kmart shopping spree with a personal stylist to complete a brand new school wardrobe.[1]
AlloyTV is a premium multi-platform digital entertainment network featuring original short-form programming and exclusive video content. First Day will be broadcast on AlloyTV with distribution throughout the Alloy Digital Network, a community of highly trafficked and dynamic online environments, which include Alloy owned sites www.alloy.com, www.teen.com, www.gurl.com, and www.channelone.com, along with premium partner sites focused on the interests of the coveted millennial audience. The network has been ranked number one by comScore in its category for 19 months running and reaches a measured audience of more than 51 million millennial consumers each month.
"First Day provides Kmart direct access to a large and extremely influential teen audience through an original program that is primed to appeal to this audience's current media tastes and pop culture cravings," commented, Sean Horvath, executive vice president, Branded Entertainment, Alloy Media + Marketing. "Working with Kmart for First Day was truly a collaborative effort and we are very excited to see the fandom build for the series."
"We look forward to watching First Day along with our teen customers," concluded Snyder, "and following the palpable buzz we expect will quickly grow around this fun and very engaging program."
About Alloy Media + Marketing
Alloy Media + Marketing (AM+M) (Nasdaq:ALOY) is one of the country's largest providers of media and marketing programs reaching targeted consumer segments. Alloy manages a diverse array of assets and services in interactive, display, direct mail, content production and educational programming. Alloy works with over 1,500 companies including half of the Fortune 200. For further information regarding Alloy, please visit our corporate website at http://www.alloymarketing.com">www.alloymarketing.com.
The Alloy, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=5852
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 include Jaclyn Smith, Joe Boxer, County Living and Route 66. For more information visit the company's website at www.kmart.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at www.searsholdings.com.
[1] * No purchase necessary to enter or win. A purchase will not improve your chances of winning. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. Open to legal residents of the 48 contiguous United States and D.C. (Alaska and Hawaii are excluded) who are 13 years of age or older. Starts 8/31/10 and ends 11/1/10. Approximate retail value of all prizes is $3,300.00. Odds of winning will vary depending on number of eligible entries received. For complete rules and prize details go to www.teen.com/sweeps/firstday. Sponsor: Alloy Media, LLC, 6300 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 2150, Los Angeles, CA 90048.