Majority of Consumers Prefer Sears Name Over Kmart

New York City, Three-quarters of Americans prefer the Sears brand name over that of Kmart, according to a recent survey commissioned by Glen Rock, N.J.-based Rivkin & Associates, Inc. Just 16% of those surveyed said they favor Kmart as the surviving name, with 9% expressing no preference or saying they don’t know. As luck would have it, the new entity formed from the merger of Sears and Kmart is called Sears Holding.

“From a branding standpoint, there is absolutely no question what chairman Ed Lampert should do,” noted Steve Rivkin, founder of Rivkin & Associates. “Our survey shows that consumer perceptions are clear, dramatic and unequivocal. Kmart is a damaged brand name. The Sears name has vastly greater brand equity.”

According to Rivkin & Associates, the Sears brand name is especially strong among males, adults with higher household incomes and college graduates. Conversely, the Kmart name scored marginally higher among older consumers and those with lower household incomes.