MTV Networks News

MTV and Sears Go Back to School

NEW YORK, June 19 PRNewswire — For the first time, MTV (http://www.mtv.com/), the #1 cable network for P12-24, teams up with leading retailer Sears (http://www.sears.com) to launch a new movie musical from the executive producers of "High School Musical." "The American Mall" (http://www.theamericanmall.com/) premieres exclusively Monday, August 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on MTV with the DVD and soundtrack hitting stores the next day on August 12. A multi-layered integrated marketing campaign built around the movie targets the core MTV audience on-air, online and in stores — in time for the back-to-school shopping season.

"The American Mall," directed by Shawn Ku, is the story of a group of young adults who work in a mall over the summer. The movie was filmed in Salt Lake City and Provo, UT, with several scenes shot in a local Sears store. Sears fashions have been integrated into the movie as part of the characters' wardrobes, seeding trends for the back-to-school season. Plus, extras carry Sears shopping bags in the background. Co-branded commercials spots will air during the premiere of the movie on August 11.

The campaign continues throughout the summer as Sears will distribute VIP Access Cards to young adults with special offers for members. Sears product giveaways will be offered through local "The American Mall" radio promotions and on the popular MTV series "TRL." In addition to The American Mall (http://www.theamericanmall.com/)website, bonus video clips and content from the movie will appear on the Sears seasonal microsite http://www.arrivelounge.com.

Led by the tagline, "Don't just go back. Arrive.," Sears in-store experience zones will feature "The American Mall" character looks as created through consultation with the movie's costume designer, Cynthia Summers. Licensed "The American Mall" merchandise and the movie DVD with a bonus disc featuring exclusive material will be available only at Sears. Additionally, four stars of the movie — Nina Dobrev, Rob Mayes, Bresha Webb and Rodney To — will be featured in the Sears circular and online wearing Sears fashions.

A special screening with the stars of the movie will be held at the Sears Centre in Chicago for Sears associates in late July.

A Perfect Fit with Sears

"We're leveraging 'The American Mall' partnership at every possible touch point, which is really exciting for Sears, as MTV is a highly relevant brand for young adults," said Richard Gerstein, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Sears. "As a retailer, it is important for Sears to provide offerings that are meaningful for students, while providing the all-important value for Mom."

"'The American Mall' is MTV's very own summer blockbuster. It's captivating, entertaining and the perfect way to celebrate the end of summer and back to school," said John Shea, EVP Integrated Marketing & Brand Partnerships, MTVN Music and LOGO Group. "It's great to have our partners at Sears onboard. They uniquely understand the creative, story and spirit of 'The American Mall,' and together, we are able to propel the project well beyond the TV screen, engaging the MTV audience wherever they are — through television, on their computer screens and on the ground."

About the movie

Set in the kind of mall that's always been a home away from home for teens everywhere, "The American Mall" is the story of Ally, a hardworking young woman whose mother has owned a music shop that's been the soul of the mall ever since it opened when Ally was a kid. Ally's singer/songwriter dreams seem to come closer to fruition when she meets Joey, a musician who's moonlighting as a janitor at the mall in order to support his own rock star ambitions. While Joey understands her songs (and heart) like no one else, Ally's happiness and the fate of the music store are threatened when the mall owner's spoiled daughter Madison — who will stop at nothing to get what she wants — becomes involved. "The American Mall" stars Nina Dobrev ("Fugitive Pieces," "Degrassi: The Next Generation") as Ally, Rob Mayes as Joey and Autumn Reeser ("The O.C.," "Lost Boys: The Tribe") as Madison Huxley.

About MTV

MTV is the dynamic, vibrant experiment at the intersection of music, creativity and youth culture. For more than 26 years, MTV has evolved, challenged the norm and detonated boundaries — giving each new generation a creative outlet and voice that entertains, informs and unites on every platform and screen. On-air, MTV has been the number one rated 24 hour ad-supported cable network P12-24 for 16 straight years. Online, MTV.com scored double-digit growth in 2007 and MTV launched ten dynamic online communities and six new virtual worlds. On the go, MTV Mobile is the #1 music brand in the wireless space — delivering 90% more streams than in 2006. And MTV's successful sibling networks MTV2, mtvU and MTV Tr3s each deliver unprecedented customized content, super-serving music fans, college students and young American Latinos like no one else. MTV is part of MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Wanna know more? Come on in ... http://www.mtvpress.com.

About Sears, Roebuck and Co.

Sears, Roebuck and Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings Corporation (Nasdaq: SHLD), is a leading broadline retailer providing merchandise and related services. Sears, Roebuck offers its wide range of home merchandise, apparel and automotive products and services through more than 2,400 Sears-branded and affiliated stores in the United States and Canada, which includes approximately 926 full-line and 1,100 specialty stores in the U.S. Sears, Roebuck also offers a variety of merchandise and services through sears.com, landsend.com, and specialty catalogs. Sears, Roebuck offers consumers leading proprietary brands including Kenmore, Craftsman, DieHard and Lands' End — among the most trusted and preferred brands in the U.S. The company is the nation's largest provider of home services, with more than 13 million service calls made annually. For more information, visit the Sears, Roebuck website at http://www.sears.com or the Sears Holdings Corporation website at http://www.searsholdings.com.

SOURCE Sears, Roebuck and Co.

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