`SOFTER SIDE OF SEARS' TOUTS WOMEN'S FASHION APPAREL

Sears, Roebuck and Co. is inviting its customers to "come see the softer side of Sears."

"When it comes to women's fashions, Sears and style aren't exactly synonymous," said Arthur C. Martinez, chairman and chief executive officer of Sears Merchandise Group. "We have listened carefully to the women who shop at Sears for their families and their home, and we know that they also want affordable, fashionable apparel for themselves."

Through the "softer side" campaign, Sears wants to tell American women that it has upgraded apparel assortments and "that we now have what they're looking for," said Martinez.

"We're excited about the new campaign," said Cape Girardeau Sears store manager Graeme Wilson. "Sears apparel has been our best-kept secret, and our goal is to communicate to our women customers that we offer the kinds of fashion apparel they want."

The Cape Girardeau store has been gearing up for the campaign.

"We have great bargains, good quality and fashionable clothing," said Wilson. "We have expanded our space for the women's department, and we have added fashionable customer service areas in our apparel departments."

The $40-million apparel advertising campaign, which was kicked off last weekend nationwide, touts the expanded collection of "fashionable and affordable" women's wear that includes more brand names.

The campaign is targeted at Sears female customers between the ages of 25 and 54 who are in the middle-income bracket.

"We're looking at women who now shop at Sears for `hardline' items like toasters and appliances, but who bypass the women's clothing department because of its dowdy image" said Martinez.

"We think if we can get them in the apparel departments, the merchandise will stand on its merits," said John Costello, senior executive vice president of marketing for the merchandise group.

The campaign is a key to a $4 billion makeover of the Sears Merchandise Group, the country's third-largest retailer.

Robert L. Mettler, president of Sears Apparel Group, agrees with Wilson that Sears apparel has been kept secret. He said: "We have taken dramatic steps to improve our apparel quality, value and selection. This campaign is aimed at communicating those facts and inviting women into our departments to see our progress first-hand."

Mettler said that while this phase of the campaign focuses primarily on women's apparel, future ads will focus on additional apparel such as men's and children's footwear and clothing, emphasizing the buying power of Sears with national brands and Sears' private label.

Kurt Barnard, a retail consultant and president of New York-based Barnard's Retail Marketing Report, said Sears must change the perception that many women have about Sears clothing.

"Women for the last dozen years have been turned off by Sears," he said. "The merchandise was just not the kind that women like to see, and the displays of merchandise were poor. I mean, what woman really wants to buy a Sears, Roebuck cocktail dress?"

Under the direction of Martinez, the former Saks Fifth Avenue executive who became chairman of the Merchandise Group a year ago, the retailer is making headway toward changing.

Sears this summer reported a 14 percent rise in second-quarter apparel sales and the merchandise group's profit more than doubled to $162.5 million from $65.3 million.

Sears is renovating stores -- 125 should be completed by year's end -- and is giving more space to women's clothing. The company expects to add 10 million square feet in apparel space over the next three years. Much of the space will come from furniture departments that are being moved to free-standing stores, Martinez said.

"Through our softer-side campaign we want to tell American women that we have upgraded our apparel assortments and that we have what they are looking for," said Martinez.

The advertising campaign was created by Young and Rubicam of New York. Television ads feature young women in clothes ranging from Levis to lingerie and an upbeat pop jingle that makes a play on Sears' more traditional merchandise. The print campaign includes two-page ads with a similar theme. Ads focusing on men's and children's apparel also are included in the campaign.

Clothes featured in the ads aren't cutting-edge fashion, but are geared toward value-minded working women, Sears officials said.