Marketing Tactics

Atlanta -- Consumer spending growth declined from December to January, but remained relatively healthy at 2.5%, according to First Data’s January 2014 SpendTrend report. SpendTrend tracks same-store point-of-sale data by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT, closed-loop prepaid cards and checks from nearly four million U.S. merchant locations serviced by First Data. The report cited the severe winter weather that pummeled the Midwest and eastern half of the country as a factor in the decline.

Eco Depot has signed a letter of intent with Water Technology Development to distribute a new portable water purification device called the WaterGizzi. Eco Depot plans to market the product as part of its eco-friendly product line, which also includes the Click and Pour and the recently acquired WaterGeeks filtration brand.

With usage of electronic cigarettes on the rise, a new study by e-cig manufacturer Mistic contends the majority of Americans are not opposed to second hand vapor.
 

To launch a new big and tall menswear line Macy’s drafted the biggest and tallest person it could find — Shaquille O’Neal.

Reston, Va. -- comScore and Google are partnering to offer a real-time audience metric designed to help brand marketers easily measure campaigns across screens. After a period of testing, comScore vCE will be available to DoubleClick marketer and publisher clients, built into the widely used ad management platform.

With the path to purchase routinely involving multiple screens, comScore and Google have struck an agreement designed to simplify the ability of marketers to measure shopper behavior in real time.

Philadelphia – Urban Outfitters reported substantial gains in net sales for the fourth quarter and fiscal year 2014. Total company sales in the quarter increased 6% to $906 million, less than Wall Street expected, from $856.8 million in the year-ago period.

Same-store retail segment net sales, which include the direct-to-consumer channel, increased 1%. Same-store retail segment net sales increased 20% at Free People and 10% at Anthropologie and decreased 9% at Urban Outfitters. Wholesale segment net sales rose 24%.

Nature Valley has rolled out two new products — Nature Valley Breakfast Biscuits and Nature Valley Greek Yogurt Protein bars — which are geared toward people with active lifestyles, the company said. The company is also adding an additional variety to its Nature Valley Protein Granola line in the form of Cranberry Almond.