Marketing Tactics

San Francisco -- Search ad spend increased 25% year-over-year and 2% quarter-over-quarter, according to Kenshoo, a leader in predictive media optimization technology.

Among the key findings in the research:

• Search click-through rate increased 26%, driving a 15% increase in clicks year-over-year;

• Social ad spend increased 51% year-over-year and 21% quarter-over-quarter; and

• Social impressions increased 13% year-over-year.

Seattle – Starbucks opens its first store in Colombia on July 16. The three-story location in the capital city of Bogota is the first of 50 stores Starbucks plans to open in Colombia by 2019.

Beachwood, Ohio — DDR announced the grand opening of Seabrook Commons, the company’s most recent ground-up development project located in Seabrook, New Hampshire, a northern suburb of the Boston MSA.

The 380,000-sq.-ft. power center is 96% leased, anchored by Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, PetSmart, Michaels, ULTA, Famous Footwear and Five Below, and features a complementary restaurant lineup that includes Panera, Outback Steakhouse and Noodles & Company.

Macy’s is gearing up for the 2014 back-to-school season by reaching out to moms, kids and college students with a one-day shopping event in select locations nationwide called Teen Vogue Back-to-School Saturdays on Aug. 9.

During the shopping event, back-to-school shoppers will be able to pick from a showcase of fall fashions.

Dallas -- J.C. Penney Company announced the launch of a new back-to-school marketing campaign that celebrates self-expression, showing how the perfect fit inspires kids to stand out and feel one-of-a-kind. The campaign kicks off today with two television spots, "Stand Out" and "My Fit," as well as a Hispanic marketing spot.

Beachwood, Ohio - DDR Corp. will hold the grand opening of Seabrook Commons, the company’s most recent ground-up development project located in Seabrook, New Hampshire, on Aug. 12. This 380,000-sq.-ft. prime power center is 96% leased, anchored by Wal-Mart, Dick's Sporting Goods, PetSmart, Michaels, Ulta, Famous Footwear and Five Below, and features a complementary restaurant lineup that includes Panera, Outback Steakhouse and Noodles & Company.

Denham Springs, La. — Belk will open a 75,000-sq.-ft. store in Denham Springs, Louisiana, near Baton Rouge, that will become the first department store anchor at the regional lifestyle center at Juban Crossing. The grand opening is slated for October 15.

The new, $7-million store will feature the latest retail design and décor for the Charlotte, North Carolina chain.

The concept of “programmatic shopper marketing” is transforming the ways brands engage with shoppers to drive sales, and creating a new set of skills for marketers to master.