Via Boing Boing, this is a pretty amazing artifact—the missing link between catalog shopping and ecommerce. First the video fast-forwards through every item in the catalog, then a couple of minutes in, you get an intro from one Ed Brennan, an executive casually propped on a piece of office furniture who outlines the history of his company as it expanded from the mail order business into a continent-spanning department store chain. And now, Sears is trying something new, a video disc edition you can browse at your leisure. Like a paper catalog, but on your television! "The future of catalog shopping has never been brighter." Oh, Ed.
And THEN, cut to "Reflections of Summer," a video featuring really cheesy music and footage of waves crashing on a beach interspersed with dancing women in '80s hair modeling Sears clothing. It's amazing.
What?
???????
?????????
Screencaps cannot do it justice. You must see for yourself. You may, however, emerge from your experience profoundly changed. And also ready to shop for summer clothing.
Contact the author at kelly@jezebel.com.