Marketing

Bentonville, Ark. -- Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said Monday that it has kicked off its "12 Days of Giving" campaign, awarding over $1.5 million to nonprofits that were nominated by Facebook users. By the end of the campaign, 145 grant recipients in all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, will be honored. Twenty-five nonprofits that have stepped up to fight hunger are receiving a total of $130,000 on the first day of giving.

NEW YORK — Saks Fifth Avenue has taken its brand beyond fashion retail with the launch of its redesigned SaksPOV website. Designed to offer a point of view from Fifth Avenue, the company said, the new site will feature multimedia content, designer features, Saks brand coverage and compelling lifestyle pieces. SaksPOV launched initially in December 2010.

ST. LOUIS — Joe McClanathan, president and CEO of the Energizer household products division, will retire in the first half of 2012, Energizer Holdings announced Friday. He will be succeeded by Alan Hoskins, VP Asia-Pacific, Africa and Middle East.

Paris -- Gap Inc. announced Thursday the opening of its first Banana Republic store in France, located in Paris on Avenue des Champs Élysées.

The 15,952-sq.-ft. space will house the brand’s women’s and men’s collections. “We are thrilled to open our first Banana Republic store in France -- a brand-building flagship in Paris -- and reach yet another important milestone for our international growth strategy,” said Stephen Sunnucks, president, International, Gap Inc.

New York City -- Saks Fifth Avenue announced Thursday a redesign of the SaksPOV website.

SaksPOV presents a point of view from Fifth Avenue on fashion, culture and art, and the site features robust multimedia content, designer features, Saks brand coverage and lifestyle pieces. SaksPOV launched initially in December 2010.

“We will use SaksPOV as an outlet to engage with our customers and as a portal for our fashion lifestyle content,” said Denise Incandela, CMO and president of Saks Direct.
 

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Lowe’s announced that it plans to open a new customer support center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The center is expected to be operational during the first quarter of 2012 and is estimated to create 250 jobs by March and a total of 600 jobs by the end of 2013.

MINNEAPOLIS — While its impossible to compare Walmart's monthly performance with Target's, as Walmart no longer provides monthly sales, it can be assumed that Target's less-than-impressive comps increase was affected by stiff Black Friday competition.

Suffern, N.Y. -- Ascena Retail Group said Thursday it has appointed Jeff Gerstel as president of Dressbarn, and named George Goldfarb as president of its Maurices brand, both effective immediately.

The new executives will report to David Jaffe, president and CEO of Ascena Retail Group.

Gerstel joined Dressbarn in 2006 as senior VP operations and most recently served as executive VP and COO.

Goldfarb joined Maurices in 1985, was named CFO in 2003, and most recently was its executive VP and COO.