Marketing

Atlanta, Ga. — Fashion basics brand Alternative Apparel appointed Erik Joule as its president and CMO, effective January 7, 2013.

Joule will be based out of the company’s design office in Los Angeles, where he will report directly to CEO Evan Toporek and work closely with founder and CCO Greg Alterman.
 

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Fruit of the Loom has chosen Crispin Porter + Bogusky to oversee and manage advertising for the Fruit of the Loom, Vanity Fair and Russell Athletic brands.

The leading international, vertically integrated basic apparel and athletic goods company’s brands include Fruit of the Loom, Vanity Fair, Russell Athletic and Spalding. It is an independent wholly owned subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, which is chaired by Warren Buffett.

NEW YORK — The Toy Fair has added a new feature to its 110th annual trade show called, “Content Connection.” The new addition to the show is designed to serve the needs of growing number of licensors, brand owners and entertainment executives that annually flock to the largest toy trade show in the Western Hemisphere.

Newton Upper Falls, Mass. -- Shoe manufacturer and retailer Clarks Cos. announced it has put a new real estate team in place to help reach its aggressive expansion goals.

According to Somerset, England-based parent C&J Clark, its retail division has opened nearly 300 company-owned, full price and outlet stores in the U.S. over the last 18 years and plans to add 30 to 50 new stores per year, with a goal of doubling its footprint over the next five years.

Chicago-based General Growth Properties has unveiled a major holiday mall-marketing program, offering up $30,000 worth of prizes for shoppers nationwide.

Coined the 12.12.12 Days of Gifts, the national sweepstakes launches Dec. 1 and continues through Dec. 12, prompting shoppers to visit their local GGP mall’s website or Facebook page for a chance to win a prize each day. The grand prize is a $12,000 Shop Etc. Gift Card.

Fort Worth, Texas -- Pier I said its total sales increased 10.9% to $425 for the third quarter, ended Nov.15, with comparable-store sales rising 7.9% from the year-ago period.

Deerfield, Ill.  -- Walgreens on Saturday will officially open its 8,000th store nationwide and its first flagship on the West Coast. The store, located in Los Angeles at the iconic corner of Sunset and Vine, features an extensive collection of innovative offerings, products and services, many of which are not standard fare.

Women’s specialty retailer Coldwater Creek said co-founder, chairman and CEO Dennis Pence will relinquish his role of CEO at year end.

Replacing Pence and joining the board of directors of the Sandpoint, Idaho-based chain will be Jill Brown Dean, the company’s current president and chief merchandising officer. Assuming Dean’s role will be Michele Donnan Martin who joins the company as SVP/GMM responsible for all merchandising functions.

The Sustainability Consortium jointly administered by the University of Arkansas and the University of Arizona, with support from Walmart and many of its suppliers, is ranked among 10 ideas changing the way people live by Scientific American.

Kroger extended its same store sales winning streak to 36 consecutive quarters and reported better than expected profits Thursday.

The grocer reported a third quarter adjusted profit of 46 cents a share that exceeded analysts’ consensus estimate by three cents and said its identical store sales grew by 3.2%. Total sales, including fuel, increased 5.9% to $21.8 billion