JCPenney has enlisted comedian and Saturday Night Live cast member Melissa Villaseñor to star in its newest ad campaign, which marks the retailer’s 120th anniversary.
The commercial introduces spokescharacter Penny James (played by Villaseñor), who is a JCPenney superfan. She says that JCPenney is her shopping place, where she finds outfits to look fabulous, from jeans and blazers to killer dresses, where she finds towels and all kinds of other products, including red glasses that she gets without prescription.
“It’s JCPenney, baby! Shopping is back!” she says at the end of the commercial.
In another ad, she stands in front of a JCPenney store and sings “Happy Birthday” to the department store.
As part of the campaign, JCPenney is also launching a cross-country tour called “Shopping is Back!”, that will celebrate the retailer’s milestone as it travels across the U.S. During each stop, the department store chain will host a block party-style celebration, hiring local food vendors and organizing games, music and giveaways. There will also be partnerships with local NGOs within each community to support various initiatives.
In addition, JCPenney is offering consumers an anniversary discount of 30% storewide and, for reward members, an additional $10 in bonus rewards for every $50 spent through April 12.