Marketing

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Staples has awarded five small businesses $50,000 in free advertising and cash as part of the “Give Your Small Business the Push It Needs” contest. 

Selected from hundreds of video entries submitted on Staples’ Facebook page (facebook.com/staples), each of the five small businesses will receive a total of $50,000 in local cable television advertising and cash in their home markets.

The winners include:

New York -- Japanese apparel retailer Uniqlo will open its first store on the West Coast, in a 29,000-sq.-ft. space in San Francisco, this fall, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Uniqlo is also looking for locations in Los Angeles and other California cities, according to the report. To date, the company has opened three U.S. stores, all in New York City.
 

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway has named Robert Edwards president of the company. Edwards has served as Safeway's EVP and CFO since 2004.

Edwards, 56, will have overall responsibility for the company's retail operations, marketing, merchandising, corporate brands, manufacturing, distribution and finance functions.  He will continue as CFO until a successor is named to the position.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Ikea, in partnership with American Forests, has planted 2 million trees across America through its Plant A Tree program.

Ikea launced the national in-store ‘Plant A Tree’ program in 1998 and since that time has raised $2 million through customer contributions and its own donations to plant the trees. During the month of April, Ikea Family ‘loyalty’ card member usage will also support Ikea in its donations to plant more trees through American Forests.

Matthews, N.C. -- Family Dollar Stores has named Jon Broz to the position of VP and assistant general counsel, litigation.

Broz comes to Family Dollar from Lowe’s Cos.
 

Toronto -- A spokesman for the Canadian Heritage Minister said Thursday that the government will conduct a review of Target’s store opening plans in the country to ensure its books, DVDs, music and other cultural products have enough Canadian content.

The review, which comes as Target is laying the groundwork to open in 2013 the first of 125 to 135 stores in former Zellers locations, falls under a “cultural heritage” provision in Canada’s foreign-takeover law.
 

MINNEAPOLIS — Target has committed $15,000 in cash and gift cards to assist the Texas communities impacted by recent tornados. Cash donations will be distributed to The Salvation Army and the American Red Cross. In addition, Target has donated gift cards to other local nonprofit organizations for essentials such as water and food.

Fort Worth, Texas -- RadioShack Corp. said Thursday it has selected Grey New York as its lead advertising agency of record, concluding a review process that first launched last November.

"We're thrilled for the opportunity to collaborate with this team as we continue transforming our brand, with a sharp focus on building consumer awareness of our wireless offering and driving traffic into our stores," said Jim Gooch, president and CEO of RadioShack Corp.