Marketing

Menlo Park, Calif. -- Facebook on Thursday announced the launch of a video feature for its photo-sharing app, Instagram. The new feature, which allows users to share video clips lasting up to 15 seconds, is seen as a direct shot at Twitter, which acquired short video start-up Vine last year.

Similar to photos, the Instagram videos will show up on a user's profile and will be available immediately on both Apple’s iOs platform and Google’s Android devices.

Fremont, Calif. -- Men’s Wearhouse announced Wednesday that it has fired its founder and executive chairman George Zimmer; no reason was given for the sudden move.

New York -- George Zimmer, the founder and pitchman of Men’s Wearhouse, wasted no time in firing back at the company that fired him as executive chairman on Wednesday morning.  In a statement released to CNBC, Zimmer suggested that disagreements with the company’s board led to his abrupt termination:

Art suppliers and writing instrument supplier Faber-Castell USA named Delanie West as VP of the company’s Creativity Center.

NORWOOD, Mass. — Hot Wheels has entered into a licensing agreement with Toy State, a leading manufacturer of licensed and highly stylized lights-and-sound toy vehicles. 

The agreement, which runs through 2016, gives Toy State the green light to design and build a new line of high-octane custom versions of Hot Wheels remote-controlled and lights-and-sound toys. 

NEW YORK — The Estée Lauder Companies has appointed Michael O’Hare as the company’s EVP, global human resources. O’Hare will report jointly to executive chair William P. Lauder and president and CEO Fabrizio Freda.

Virginia Beach, Va. -- Divaris Real Estate has arranged five retail leases for space in Chesapeake, Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

T-Mobile signed three leases for 4,225 sq. ft. The company will move into 1,600 sq. ft. in Kempsriver Crossing in Virginia Beach, 1,500 sq. ft. in Southern Shopping Center in Norfolk and 1,125 sq. ft. in Indian River Shoppes in Chesapeake.

Original Mattress Factory is relocating to a larger space in Sam’s Circle in Chesapeake. The new space is 2,400 sq. ft.

H&M is finally tackling the online market, and plans to launch an e-commerce site in the U.S. in August.

The timing of the move for a brand synonymous with affordable fashion is opportune because it coincides with the heart of the back-to-school shopping season and sets the stage for the company to drive online sales during the holiday season.