Value Is Key This Holiday Season

Holly Green is more than just the color of some holiday decorations this year – the fictional character is a symbol of savings for cash-strapped times.

Dubbed its “ambassador of sales and sustainability” by creator Inland Western Real Estate Trust, an illustration of Green appears on the company’s holiday advertisements. A real-life Holly will make guest appearances at 20 Inland malls throughout the season offering coupons and environment-friendly tote bags. She’s a natural extension of concerns this season about attracting shoppers to the mall during a down economy.

“The interest in green is nationwide, and consumers are looking to save money,” says Cherilynn Megill, vice president of marketing for Inland Western, Oak Brook, IL.