Marketing Tactics

CHICAGO — Indianapolis-based appliance and electronics retailer HH Gregg is looking to Leo Burnett USA and Spark SMG, a full-service media agency of Starcom MediaVest Group, to help it expand brand awareness for its products.

"From the beginning, Leo Burnett and Spark demonstrated a deep understanding of our business and our vision for the future," said Jeff Pearson, SVP of marketing. "After a diligent process we chose Leo Burnett and Spark as the best agencies to help us build a winning national brand."

RACINE, Wis. — Fisk Johnson, SC Johnson's chairman and CEO, has been named "Friend of the Library" by the Racine Public Library. Johnson received the award for sponsoring the Racine Reads: Dream Big! program during the 2011-2012 school year. 

The program challenged 10,000 local elementary school students to read 1 million books during the school year — an average of 100 books per child. Students rose to the challenge, by more than quadrupling the national average, by reading 180 books per student and 1.8 million books in total. 

Chicago -- General Growth Properties said that its Oakbrook Center property in Chicago has welcomed Fixtures Living, an experiential showroom concept based in San Diego.

The Oakbrook Center store is the company’s first outside of California. It is slated to open in spring 2014 and will be Fixtures Living's fifth overall and the second one situated within a luxury retail center – the other being Glendale (Calif.) Galleria.

Houston -- Stage Stores reported a loss of $6.9 million for the first quarter, compared with a loss of $418,000 for the year-ago period, as the retailer dealt with cool weather that put a damper on sales of spring apparel.
 
"The unseasonably cool weather in March and April, particularly when compared to last year's warm spring, strongly impacted our sales performance," president and CEO Michael Glazer said.

Revenue rose 4% to $378.6 million from $365.7 million. Same-store sales inched up 0.7%.
 

CAMDEN, N.J. — Campbell Soup Company and its Pepperidge Farm division were among those honored for consumer-driven innovation in product packaging at the DuPont Awards for Packaging Innovation.

Foxborough, Mass. -- Gourmet cupcake bakery Cupcake Charlie’s will celebrate the opening of its fourth location on May 18, at Patriot Place in Foxborough, Mass.

The growing business also has locations in Mashpee, Plymouth and Newport, R.I.
 

Fort Worth, Texas -- RadioShack is partnering with Maker Media to offer a line of exclusive DIY electronics products such as robotics, kits and tools. The cobranded product line, which includes items such as moldable plastic and youth robotic and remote control hobby kits, will be available in the fall.

"DIY is part of RadioShack's DNA," said Dawn Callahan, VP of merchandising, RadioShack. "We're grateful to be part of a wonderfully loyal community of makers, and we listened when they told us how we can help bring their ideas to life."

Simpsonville, Ky. -- Following on the heels of successful outlet projects in Atlanta and Oklahoma City, CBL & Associates Properties and Horizon Group Properties announced another joint venture – to co-develop The Outlet Shoppes at Louisville, in Simpsonville, Ky.