The Sears Prize -- Agencies Gather to Pitch in Chicago

The stakes in the Sears, Roebuck & Co. apparel review have been raised as five of the ad industry’s biggest hitters convene in Chicago this week to match their wits for the prize.
Last week, new merchandise group chairman Arthur Martinez told a group of fashion executives in New York that Sears will increase apparel spending $30 million this fall in its first major apparel splash in years. Including pre-prints, Sears spent roughly $20 million on apparel in 1992.
‘We are the fourth largest advertiser in all of America, but we have not used the power of that resource,’ Martinez said.