Kmart bringing back 'Blue Light Specials'

The Detroit News

TROY, Mich. — Kmart Corp. is hoping the BlueLight Special it is bringing back will become more than a beacon for bargains. The retail giant plans to use the icon to build an image as a value retailer, recharging its relationship with employees and consumers along the way.

Kmart's long-term goal, according to its marketing initiative announced yesterday, is to evolve from a has-been into a shopping destination where customers find the products they want at prices they can trust.

Kmart is spending an estimated $25 million to promote the BlueLight Special, its largest marketing push in company history. Along with BlueLight, Kmart will highlight discounted items with a new blue icon, Spot. Items ticketed with the Spot will be touted as priced below what competitors charge.

The hope is to entice customers to visit Kmart more frequently. If Kmart's customers can be persuaded to make just one more trip annually, Kmart revenue could rise an estimated $2.8 billion.

The chain introduced the BlueLight Special in 1965 as a way to move merchandise. Customers who heard its telltale call "Attention, Kmart Shoppers!" would rush to the flashing blue light to pick up discounted items during the limited-time sale.

The retailer retired the symbol in 1991, but its legacy remained. According to a Kmart study done last year, 62 percent of those polled recognized the BlueLight Special. For 93 percent of them, the memory was pleasant.