Bruce Horovitz

USA TODAY

Kohl's will try to out-Frozen just about everyone but Disney over the holidays — with a Frozen sing-off.

As if the song Let it Go hasn't received enough air time already. Get ready for a Frozen-ad-a-thon with Let it Go as the focal point.

During four commercial breaks to the 42nd American Music Awards show, Kohl's will sponsor a high-profile series of ads that feature snippets from 10 contestants who are vying to collect the most viewer votes and have their Let it Go solo air during the music awards ceremony Nov. 23 on ABC.

For Kohl's, it's a huge commercial investment to remind consumers that despite the drumbeat of Frozen-related commercials and marketing from gobs of other retailers, its stores have arguably evolved into a Frozen headquarters for the holidays. Not only is Frozen the highest-grossing animated film of all time, but its merchandise is still white-hot nearly one year after the film's original release. And Kohl's is stocking everything from Frozen apparel to Frozen toys to, yes, a waffle maker whose imagery is none other than that of Olaf, the film's goofy snowman.

The contest, dubbed Sing Your Heart Out, began months ago, when Kohl's solicited for and received more than 4,000 video entries from consumers. During the American Music Awards, the department store chain will air four Frozen spots. One ad explains the rules and asks viewers to vote online for the singer they like best. One ad shows snippets from all 10 contestants. One ad shows snippets from contestants who didn't make the final 10. And ad one airs the winner singing Let it Go.

"We want to be Frozen headquarters in America," says Michelle Gass, chief customer officer at Kohl's "Frozen is the centerpiece to our overall holiday."

With good reason. Beyond being a record-setting animated film, Frozen is a retailing, merchandising and licensing bonanza. Merchandise sales from the film, alone, are expected to top $1 billion this year, reports the trade publication Advertising Age. And one licensing expert says Frozen has a lot of legs. "I don't recall anything else in the past couple of decades at least, that came in so under the radar," says Marty Brochstein senior vice president at the Licensing Industry Merchandisers' Association. "Thirteen months ago, (a month before the debut), nobody was mentioning Frozen. All of a sudden it took off, so there were real shortages of licensed goods."

Besides carrying all kinds of Frozen toys, electronics and apparel, Kohl's also is carrying an exclusive Jumping Beans line of children's clothing with the Frozen theme, says Gass.

But how to let consumers know that Kohl's stores are loaded to the gills with Frozen merchandise?

With a Frozen sing-off, of course. Disney and Kohl's executives selected the 10 finalists last month and brought them to Los Angeles to film the ads. The ad agency Peterson Milla Hooks filmed 10 separate commercials with all 10 contestants — knowing only one of those 10 will be aired as the winning performance as voted by viewers.

But some Disney-like pixie dust may be needed because, an additional piece of of film must be inserted into the winning spot before it airs, notes Dave Peterson, creative director at the agency. "There are some gymnastics involved," he says.