A new online video contest sponsored by Sears and Kmart could help the March of Dimes fight premature birth and give more babies a healthy start in life.
The contest, “What Would You Do With One Billion Points?” offers, as a prize, up to one billion Kmart and Sears Shop Your Way rewards points that would be shared with a charity. Shop Your Way Rewards® members enter by submitting a 45-second personal video message describing what they would do with one billion points.
The contest was inspired by a new consumer survey, commissioned by Sears and Kmart, which found that despite tough economic times, 81 percent of Americans remain generous at heart, and if they received a large monetary prize or gift, they'd donate part to charity.
Sears and Kmart, a wholly owned subsidiary of Sears Holdings and the March of Dimes longest-standing corporate supporter and largest contributor to its mission, have selected the March of Dimes as one of their charity partners for the contest.
During its 27-year partnership, Kmart has supported the March of Dimes in its work to protect babies’ health. Kmart has helped to improve infant survival and health in the United States by helping the March of Dimes fund research, educational initiatives, community services and advocacy efforts that positively affect the lives of moms and their babies. The contest winner will get 50 percent of all points in the contest prize pool to spend as they choose, and the March of Dimes could get the other 50 percent. Approximate retail value of one billion points is $650,000. The prize pool began with 100 million points, and for every video submitted, another 10,000 points will be added, up to one billion points.
All videos will be posted online at billionpoints.com, where they will be voted on to determine the winner. Video submissions and the initial voting will continue through October 5, 2010. The top 20 vote-getters will move on to a final round of voting, which will result in a single winner, announced by mid-November, 2010.
About Sears Holdings Corporation
Sears Holdings Corporation is the nation’s fourth largest broadline retailer with approximately 3,900 full-line and specialty retail stores in the United States and Canada. Sears Holdings is the leading home appliance retailer as well as a leader in tools, lawn and garden, consumer electronics and automotive repair and maintenance. Sears Holdings is the 2010 ENERGY STAR retail partner of the year. Key proprietary brands include Kenmore, Craftsman and DieHard, and a broad apparel offering including such well-known labels as Lands’ End, Jaclyn Smith and Joe Boxer, as well as the Apostrophe and Covington brands. It also has the Country Living collection, which is offered by Sears and Kmart. Sears Holdings is the nation’s largest provider of home services, with more than 12 million service calls made annually. Sears Holdings Corporation operates through its subsidiaries, including Sears, Roebuck and Co. and Kmart Corporation. For more information, visit the company’s website at searsholdings.com.