Kmart produce first TV special on Channel Nine
In collaboration with production company Mushroom Group, Kmart has produced its first television special. The special, ‘Small Gift, Big Heart at Christmas’, is set to air on Channel Nine at 7.30pm AEDT tonight, 4 December 2020.
The announcement:
Australia’s biggest retail brand, Kmart, has produced its first-ever television special, in collaboration with Melbourne-based Production Agency, Mushroom Group, premiering this Friday 4 December 2020 at 7:30pm AEDT on Channel Nine.
Small Gift, Big Heart at Christmas is a 30-minute TV special that acknowledges the challenges Australians have faced throughout 2020 and the very different Christmas they are soon to experience, through the eyes of nine-year-old, Riley.
Celebrating the Australian Christmas spirit, the special presents Riley and his family demonstrating how small gestures can have incredible impact on the lives of friends, family and community members, aligning to Kmart’s annual Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal, in partnership with The Salvation Army. Audiences are taken on the journey of each donated gift, from the moment Riley chooses the special item at his local Kmart store, to the moment a very grateful recipient selects the gift at their local Salvation Army.
John Gualtieri, Kmart Director of Retail, said: “We are all very proud to have contributed to the story around the Australian Christmas spirit, and the year 2020. The representation of community through authentic storytelling showcases the power of overcoming adversity. Small Gift, Big Heart this Christmas will appeal well to viewers as it demonstrates the true bond that all families can connect with. We want to say thank you to The Salvation Army for sharing its stories, as well as supporting the community through the Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal and beyond in its 33rd year. And thanks to our partner, Michael Gudinski, and the Mushroom Group of Companies who collaborated with us on this special and helped to hand select Australian songs which are featured throughout.”
This is a story about Australians. Small Gift, Big Heart at Christmas was conceptualised by an Australian brand, Kmart, spotlights Australian music, including four songs by Aria Hall of Fame inductee and winner for 2020, Archie Roach, alongside The Teskey Bros, Sheppard and Bliss n Eso, and will be broadcast on an Australian network: Channel Nine.
Michael Gudinski, Chairman of the Mushroom Group of Companies, said: “For Mushroom Group it was a way to bring the magic of Christmas and bookend another memorable TV moment with Channel Nine after the incredible success of Music From The Home Front. The Kmart Wishing Tree Appeal and documenting this unprecedented year is a story that needs to be told. Australia lived through this together and we should celebrate the act of giving without expectation, it’s part of the Australian way of life and customary to the Australian music industry. The project has also been a way to support our troubled music and television industries with an all-Australian cast, music and production team working on the project with passion and conviction” says Michael Gudinski, Chairman of the Mushroom Group of Companies.
Throughout this year like no other, all brands have been working to communicate with audiences in new and innovative ways to ensure they stay connected. Kmart identified an opportunity to create a special moment to connect with Australians in its own style in the lead up to Christmas, by delivering an all-round Australian story that all viewers can be a proud part of as they reflect on the challenges of 2020 together.
Small Gift, Big Heart at Christmas premieres on Friday 4 December 2020 at 7:30pm AEDT, with three encore screenings scheduled across December on Channel Nine and Gem, and 12 months of catch up viewing available on Nine Now.
Source: Cassette media release
