Marketing

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — HSN has partnered with HGTV to launch HGTV Home Outdoor Living, only at HSN. Launching across HSN and HGTV's multiple platforms on March 19, HGTV Home Outdoor Living will redefine the outdoor living retail landscape with top HGTV experts appearing on HSN, including Designer John Gidding, star of Curb Appeal.  The HGTV experts will offer advice and showcase an assortment of high-quality, HGTV-curated, outdoor products, including exclusive HGTV Home branded items. 

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. said Monday that it will open 17 southwestern Ontario, Canada store on March 19 and another four on March 28, on the heels of three successful pilot-store launches in the area.

The added slate of openings, said Target, will allow the retailer more opportunity to volume-test in advance of April grand opening dates.

New York -- The Jones Group Inc. announced Monday it has appointed Greg Clark as chief marketing officer, effective immediately.

Clark will oversee global marketing and brand identity, including spearheading digital media strategy, brand development and creative.

Clark most recently served as the SVP creative marketing for J. C. Penney.

By Krisha Brooks, VP engineering services, GMR

Whether the facility is a restaurant or retail storefront, owners and managers can agree sufficient lighting plays a key role in exterior facility safety. On a superficial level, lighting plays a significant role in presenting a warm and inviting storefront for customers. However, from a personnel, customer and branding standpoint, having adequate lighting in place that is regularly maintained, inspected and positioned makes an important difference towards alleviating safety and liability concerns.

NEW YORK — Walmart was the only traditional retailer to be named to marketing firm Ipsos' Most Influential Brands of the United States list.

Amazon and Ebay also made the list, which included such companies as Apple, Facebook, Visa and Procter & Gamble. Topping the list was Google.

PHILADELPHIA — Monetate, a technology solution provider that allows online marketers to leverage Big Data to create personalized online customer experiences, has announced the addition of two senior executives to its leadership team. John Healy joined as chief operating officer and David Stetson was named chief financial officer. 

Lowe’s is competing in the price wars -- especially with Internet retailers -- by using the merchant mind-set of “dead net pricing.” 

Speaking at the UBS Global Consumer Conference Wednesday, Lowe’s CEO Robert Niblock described his company’s improvements in the price wars.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — Hibbett Sports reported that net sales for the fourth quarter increased 14% to $217.4 million compared with $190.7 million for the same period last year. Comparable-store sales increased 4.9% on a 13-week to 13-week period.

Net income for the quarter increased 22.3% to $19.4 million compared with $15.8 million for the same period last year. Earnings per diluted share increased 23.7% to 73 cents for the quarter compared with 59 cents for the same period last year. 

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Kid Brands, a manufacturer of juvenile and infant products has announced the appointment of Raphael Benaroya as president and CEO, effective immediately. The company intends to appoint a non-executive chairman of the board, although Benaroya will continue to serve as chairman until his successor is appointed, and is expected to continue to serve as a board member thereafter.

Safeway president of merchandising, Kelly Griffith, was named to a new operational position, filling a void created by the retirement of EVP of retail operations Bruce Everette.