Corporate Governance

Southfield, Mich. - The Mars Agency has rolled out an international corporate rebrand in the U.S., U.K, and Canada. The company has changed its name from Mars Advertising.

The National Retail Federation today told a congressional panel that the retail industry is committed to safeguarding and protecting consumer data and information from highly motivated and sophisticated cybercriminals and hackers.

“Retailers make significant investments every year in order to protect [consumer] data,” NRF VP for retail technologies Tom Litchford testified. “Collectively, retailers spend billions of dollars annually to safeguard data and fight fraud, as well as hundreds of millions annually on [credit card security] compliance.”

Evansville, Ind. -- Shoe Carnival Inc. is collaborating with the Lifetime show “Devious Maids” to further promote the company’s first national, integrated advertising campaign. Shoe Carnival’s national campaign with “Devious Maids” and new tagline “A Surprise in Store” will run on national cable with on-air, in-store and social support.

The advertising campaign coincides with the season two premiere of the series “Devious Maids,” which will debut on April 20.

Seattle – Starbucks Corp. plans to move its European headquarters to London, from its current base in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The move will both concentrate some executives in the U.K., including some transferred from the Amsterdam office, and also increase the tax Starbucks pays in the U.K.

Starbucks paid an estimated $16.8 million in U.K. taxes during 2013 and has said it expects to pay the same amount in 2014. The company has received criticism in the U.K. for allegedly using complex accounting procedures to minimize the tax it pays there.

Sears Holdings has tapped Arun Arora as SVP and president, Home Services, in which role he will take charge of the business unit's In-Home Repair Services, Service Contracts, Carry-In Repair, Sears Home Improvement Services, Parts Direct, Commercial Sales and Sears Franchise Businesses.

New York – Despite their reputation as being jaded by branding efforts, a majority of Millennials consider themselves brand-loyal. According to a new survey of Millennial consumers from marketing data provider Adroit Digital, 64% of Millennials are more brand-loyal or as brand-loyal as their parents, with 24% considering themselves to be more brand-loyal than their parents.

The 2014 spring Goodwill Sale, a cause-marketing partnership between The Bon-Ton Stores and Goodwill Industries International, collected more than 2.5 million pounds of clothing and textiles to benefit Goodwill's job training and employment services.

New York -- Bang & Olufsen unveiled its first newly redesigned store concept in North America, at the new Madison Avenue location in New York City. The 1,400-sq.-ft. store is designed to evoke a true sensory experience and demonstrate Bang & Olufsen's commitment to providing extraordinary consumer experiences.  

Other locations in New York City will adopt the new design, as well as a handful of additional locations across the United States next fiscal year.