Kmart's unreleased Darryl Worley song goes viral

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. - Aug. 4, 2013 - PRLog -- The “Big Red K” – Kmart (http://www.kmart.com) – today got a boost from one of its former ad campaigns that could put Big Red in the black. An unreleased Kmart (http://www.examiner.com/topic/kmart)-sponsored single (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwFn3IlpXWk), “I Found Love At A Kmart Store, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwFn3IlpXWk)” based on the chain’s 2005 hit advertising campaign and jingle of the same name, is catching fire on the internet and has caught Kmart by surprise.

“This thing is going viral,” said Tom Kennington, a recording industry analyst. “It’s probably the first time an unreleased single produced by a major retailer, in support of an ad campaign aired years ago, has had this kind of traction.”

Country star Darryl Worley (http://www.examiner.com/topic/darryl-worley), who provided the vocals for the original ad campaign, recorded the single that was to be sold in Kmart stores nationwide. While the song was played in Kmart stores throughout the country in support of the ’05 ad campaign, it never made it to the sales racks because of “logistical problems,” according to a source at Kmart.

The unreleased Worley single is about the amorous adventure of a Kmart shopper who goes to the store “to buy a TV and a set of bathroom scales,” but got more than that in one of the store's dressing rooms thanks to an angelic-looking, obliging sales clerk.

“It’s a fantasy piece that’s really not prurient but just good, clean, tongue-in-cheek fun,” said Joel Haversmith, who says the song is knee-slapping fun. “It’s a great song. I hope they do a video. It’ll be fantastic!”

The “I Found Love At A Kmart Store” jingle was lauded as one of the most memorable contemporary jingles by the Detroit Free Press.

The ad campaign itself was memorable in another respect. It was created by the owner of a mid-sized South Florida agency who cold-called the then CEO of Kmart, Aylwin Lewis, to pitch him the “I Found Love At A Kmart Store” campaign.

“I called Mr. Lewis, asked if I could send him our campaign song and the rest is history,” said Jay Schorr, president of TMR Multimedia, a Hollywood, Florida-based communications company. “Grey Worldwide, the ad agency handling Kmart, was instructed to make us an offer for the right to use the ‘I Found Love At A Kmart Store’ song as the basis for its ad campaign.”

For legions of Kmart shoppers, the “Love” campaign was one of the chain’s best. And when the four-month campaign ended, thousands of Kmart shoppers signed an online petition to bring it back. They even threatened a boycott if their demand was not met.

“I loved that jingle,” said longtime Kmart shopper Beverly Bounders. “All of their campaigns since have pretty much reeked. I’m glad the single is enjoying such popularity. I hope they bring back the campaign, too. We should all write to Andrew Stein (mailto:andrew.stein@searhc.com?subject=Bring%20back%20%22...) [Kmart CMO] and tell him to give the shoppers what they want.”