Marketing Tactics

Atlanta - Flip Flop Shops has signed a master franchise agreement with Happy Toes Caribbean that calls for the establishment and development of at least 20 new shops throughout the islands, the first of which will open in Aruba in late 2014. The master franchise rights agreement also covers the management of three established stores in St. Thomas, St. Maarten and Curacao.

Whole Foods Market made a $46,784 donation to Solid Ground, a Seattle-based organization with a mission to build a community to end poverty. Throughout 2013, shoppers who visited any of the six Seattle-area Whole Foods Market stores had an opportunity to participate in the Bag Hunger program, with a cash donation to Solid Ground at the checkout registers.

Kimberly-Clark has teamed up with Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Christina Milian to launch an integrated Celebrate Family UNity ("FUN") platform that leverages social media to not only retain existing consumers but also to reach out to new ones.

An integral part of the program is the Family UNity ("FUN") Song web app where families can customize their own "FUN song," share it on social media and download it as a ringtone.

The Estée Lauder Companies have named Christopher C. Giglio as VP, corporate global communications. He will report to Alexandra C. Trower, EVP, global communications.

Jacksonville, Fla. -- Stein Mart’s board of directors has appointed D. Hunt Hawkins and Brian R. Morrow to share the newly created office of the president. Both men will continue to report to CEO Jay Stein.

Digital interactions influence 36 cents of every dollar spent in the retail store, or approximately $1.1 trillion, according to the latest study from Deloitte Digital. The study also found that by the end of 2014, that number will climb to 50%, or $1.5 trillion of total store sales.

The study, "The New Digital Divide," quantifies the extent to which consumers' use of desktop and laptop computers, tablets and smartphones influences brick-and-mortar store sales.

Hoffman Estates, Ill. - Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. opens its newest Florida Sears Home Appliance Showroom on April 25, in Sunrise. The Sunrise location is one of six Sears Home Appliance Showrooms Michael Myers owns and operates.

GNC Holdings latest national brand campaign, called "Beat Average," includes a mix of network prime, premium and targeted cable, out-of-home, newspaper, magazine and online media.