CONTACT:
Sears Public Relations And Communications
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Kenmore(R) Announces the Crazy Cleaning Confessions Contest
Nation's Leading Appliance Brand Challenges Americans to 'Fess Up' for the
Chance to Win a High-Efficiency Appliance to Help End Their Crazy Cleaning
Habits
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Do you freshen your jeans
in the freezer because you've heard washers can ruin the fit? Do you find
yourself handwashing your dishes before you run them through the dishwasher
because you've been told dishwashers aren't able to do a thorough cleaning?
If you can relate and have some crazy cleaning habits of your own to share,
it's time to enter Kenmore's Crazy Cleaning Confessions Contest - the
crazier the confession, the better! Three lucky winners will go from
"crazy" to clean and green, with appliances from the Kenmore Elite(R) line
that have been designed to deliver the cleaning and care solutions
consumers need.
People are finding their older appliances don't do the job right the
first time, so they end up having to do the job themselves. More time gets
spent on chores and less with their families or doing the things they love.
A recent survey conducted by Kenmore to better understand the challenges
time-pressed moms are facing found that moms overwhelmingly want help with
cleaning. Fifty two percent said family members helping with household
chores would help them get more of the quality time with their children
that they crave. And, getting appliances with the latest technology that
can effectively do the job and require minimal effort can make a big
difference - 79 percent think large appliances are one of the key items
they need to keep their homes running smoothly. In fact, large appliances
beat out spouses (68 percent) as the best way to keep your home running
smoothly.
"I'm always looking for ways to save time and used to get so frustrated
that chores like laundry or dishes would take up so much of my day," said
Amy Clark, founder of MomAdvice.com. "Cleaning my family's clothes with my
old laundry pair required pre-treating stains, doing multiple washes and
hang-drying clothes to prevent shrinkage. Now with my new Kenmore laundry
pair, I just toss all the clothes into one load and everything comes out
really clean without using stain sticks - doing laundry is so easy now."
"We have taken the 'crazy' out of cleaning by designing products that
are both high performance and energy efficient," said Betsy Owens, Kenmore
brand's vice president and general manager. "Given the innovative appliance
solutions we've developed, the Crazy Cleaning Confessions Contest puts a
spotlight on the unnecessary lengths people go through to get their dishes
and clothes clean, especially since they don't have time. As one of
America's most trusted brands with one of the broadest assortments of home
appliance products, Kenmore knows that people want appliances that can do
the job right the first time so they don't have to do the job for them."
From scrubbing their shirts with a toothbrush to using a garden hose to
power spray baked-on foods off, people are going to extremes to get clothes
and dishes clean. Kenmore is encouraging people to capture their extreme
cleaning habits by submitting a short 30-90 second video confession on
http://www.youtube.com/kenmore from now until September 6 for the chance to win
appliances from the Elite line -- and let their garden hose and toothbrush
go back to doing the jobs they are actually meant to do. Kenmore will
select the finalists from September 7-10 and people will be able to vote
for their favorite videos from September 11-October 1. The three winners
will be announced on October 12.
And, in keeping with its commitment to the environment, Kenmore will
donate $10,000 as well as 50 cents for each video viewed (up to $25,000 for
the total donation) to the Jane Goodall Institute for use in its programs.
The winners of the Kenmore Crazy Cleaning Confessions contest(1) will
receive one of three Kenmore Elite prizes to help rid them of their crazy
habits once and for all:
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-- Grand Prize - Kenmore Elite HE5t(TM) Laundry Pair: the sleek
design of this set will look great in any laundry room while its
high efficiency features will change the way you think about doing
laundry.
-- Steam Washer: it cleans better than any other leading brand
front-load washer(2). The Steam Treat(TM) feature virtually
eliminates the need to pre-treat stains by addressing
different types of stains in a single load while the Timed
Oxi(TM) option releases stain-removal additives at the
appropriate time in the cycle for improved stain-fighting
performance.
It uses up to 77 percent less water and 81 percent less
energy(3), translating to up to $175 annually in potential
energy and water savings. This ENERGY STAR QUALIFIED washer
is so efficient it could potentially pay for itself over its
expected life with the savings on your utility bills.
-- Steam Dryer: the SteamCare(TM) Refresh cycle lets you
refresh dry garments without washing them by using a fine
mist and heat to relax wrinkles and reduce odors in minutes
while the SteamCare Touch Up feature allows you to spend
less time ironing by relaxing wrinkles in loads left too
long in the dryer or laundry basket.
Even Heat(TM) technology gives you the fastest and gentlest
drying(4) by maintaining more consistent temperatures
during the dry cycle. The Heated Drying Rack feature allows
you to dry lay-flat items like sweaters, shoes and hats
with the touch of a button, and it dries three times faster
than any other drying rack(4).
-- First Prize - Kenmore Elite Oasis Laundry Pair: the soothing blue
color of this set will put your laundry worries to ease by making
doing laundry a breeze.
-- Steam Washer: the 4.7 cubic feet capacity of this washer
lets you wash more at once - it can clean up to 24 bath
towels in one load(5), and it cleans better than any other
leading brand top-load washer(6). The Stain Treat(TM) option
with built-in heater lets you spend less time pre-treating
stains by cleaning different types of stains in one load
while the Timed Oxi option automatically releases
oxygen-based stain fighters at the appropriate time in the
cycle to fight tough stains.
This washer helps save money on utility bills by exceeding
the ENERGY STAR efficiency qualifications. It saves 69
percent less water and 66 percent less energy, and can also
save up to 20 percent more energy with the Kenmore's
exclusive Save Energy Plus option.
Steam Dryer: lets you dry more at once with its extra-large
7.6 cubic feet capacity. The TurboDry(TM) technology lets
you fold before the next wash load is done by using a larger
blower to increase airflow and dry clothes faster, while
still being gentle. The Heated Dryer Rack also dries
sweaters, hats and shoes up to three times faster than with
other dryer racks(4). And the SteamCare Refresh cycle allows
you to refresh clothes without washing by relaxing wrinkles
and removing odors.
-- Second Prize - Kenmore Elite High Efficiency Dishwasher: this
dishwasher is sleek on the outside and high performance on the
inside.
-- No more pre-loading rituals such as rinsing, soaking and
scrubbing with this dishwasher - just scrape away excess
food and load right in to save time, water and money.
TurboZone(TM) with Rotating Spray Jets helps save effort by
providing a concentrated wash to dishes placed in the back
of the rack and eliminates the need to pre-soak, scrub or
rinse even the toughest, baked-on dishes. With special
pressurized spray nozzles, it can also tackle dried oatmeal
and egg without pre-rinsing. And, at only 46 dBA, it
operates so quietly you will not even know it is on.
This ENERGY STAR QUALIFIED appliance saves 41 percent less
water and 34 percent less energy(7). The SmartWash(TM) HE
Cycle determines the right amount of time, water and energy
needed to clean dishes, so you get excellent cleaning
results while using fewer resources.
Visit http://www.youtube.com/kenmore to enter the Kenmore Crazy Confessions
Cleaning Contest, check out some of the outrageous video submissions and
get Amy Clark's cleaning tips. For more information on the Kenmore Elite
prizes, please visit Kenmore.com.
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, home electronics
and automotive repair and maintenance. 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 Martha Stewart Everyday
products, which are offered exclusively in the U.S. by Kmart. We are 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 Sears Holdings' website at
http://www.searsholdings.com.
About the Jane Goodall Institute
Founded in 1977, the Jane Goodall Institute continues Dr. Goodall's
pioneering research on chimpanzee behavior--research that transformed
scientific perceptions of the relationship between humans and animals.
Today, the Institute is a global leader in the effort to protect
chimpanzees and their habitats. It also is widely recognized for
establishing innovative community-centered conservation and development
programs in Africa, and the Roots & Shoots global environmental and
humanitarian youth program, which has groups in 110 countries. For more
information, please visit http://www.janegoodall.org.
About Jane Goodall's Roots & Shoots
Founded in 1991 by Dr. Jane Goodall and a group of Tanzanian students,
the Roots & Shoots program is about making positive change happen--for our
communities, for animals and for the environment. With tens of thousands of
young people in 110 countries, the Roots & Shoots network connects youth of
all ages who share a desire to create a better world. Young people identify
problems in their communities and take action. Through service projects,
youth-led campaigns and an interactive website, Roots & Shoots members are
making a difference across the globe. For more information, please visit
http://www.rootsandshoots.org.
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(1) NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF
WINNING. LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 48 CONTIGUOUS UNITED STATES (D.C.),
21 AND OLDER AND who did not purchase any equipment for purposes of
entering the Contest. VOID IN AK, HI & WHERE PROHIBITED. Enter
Contest by: 9/6/09 at 11:59 p.m. ET. For Official Rules and prize
descriptions, visit http://www.youtube.com/kenmore. Sponsor: Sears,
Roebuck & Co., 3333 Beverly Rd., Hoffman Estates, IL 60179.
(2) Compared to leading brand front-load washers based on a 20 lb. load
(3) Compared to a convention top load washer manufactured before 2004
using the Normal cycle; based on an 11-year expected life
(4) Among leading brand dryers
(5) Based on approximately 24" x 44" towels
(6) Among leading brand top-load washers based on 17 lb. load
(7) Compared to dishwashers manufactured seven years ago
SOURCE Sears Holdings Corporation
Web site: http://www.searsholdings.com
http://www.rootsandshoots.org
CONTACT: Jemini Patel of Euro RSCG Worldwide PR, +1-212-367-6829,
Jemini.Patel@eurorscg.com, for Sears Holdings Corporation; or
Larry Costello of Sears Holdings Public Relations,
+1-847-286-9036, or +1-847-346-4514, Larry.Costello@searshc.com
