Marketing Tactics

CINCINNATI — Procter & Gamble has introduced its Pantene Expert Collection, which addresses the needs of both aging hair and extreme hair damage.

The Expert Collection brings two new premium hair care lines to Pantene: AgeDefy and Advanced+ Keratin Repair. The products utilize Pantene’s most advanced technologies and promise to help women experience healthy-looking hair with luster, bounce and damage repair.

PURCHASE, N.Y. and QUINCY, Mass. — Coinstar, an operator of change collecting kiosks, announced that customers utilizing its service at all Stop & Shop stores, now have the option of placing the full value of their coins, without fees, onto a Stop & Shop gift card. In addition, customers also have the option to select a gift card from a variety of national retailers and e-retailers. The gift cards are immediately activated and can be used the same day.

Wayne, N.J. -- Toys “R” Us on Tuesday said it will offer a price-match guarantee on all items in its namesake and Babies “R” Us stores this holiday season.

Beginning immediately and continuing through Christmas Eve, the company said it will match competitors’ in-store pricing on identical items, any time a customer presents a local competitor’s current print advertisement showing the item available for less.  

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Kmart has designated this Friday as the official start of Halloween shopping with its "Orange and Black Friday" event.

Kmart's "Orange & Black Friday" event features: 50% off Halloween costumes and Halloween kitchen textiles, tabletop, decor, as well as a "Kmart Kreator" tool (www.Kmart.com/kreator), a social tool where users can create their own Halloween "Kreature" using costumes and accessories available at Kmart.

Pleasanton, Calif. -- Grocer Safeway Inc. said Tuesday it has extended its corporate social responsibility commitment with the introduction of a new program it calls Heart of Safeway Pledge, which encourages consumers and communities to be more conservative and socially responsible.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway is calling on its associates and customers to take simple steps toward a better life.

The company has launched the "Heart of Safeway Pledge" as a personal call-to-action to take simple, everyday steps – such as using energy-conserving light bulbs, taking a 15-minute walk three times a week or eating healthier foods – that benefit pledge-takers and their communities.

WESTPORT, Conn. — Etailing Solutions, an integrated online sales and marketing consultancy, has named Brian Cohen as EVP, general manager.

Cohen most recently led the Digital Shopper Marketing practice at CatapultRPM. Part of the Hyper Marketing Inc. network, Etailing Solutions provides consumer goods companies with data services/insights, strategy development, sales support and visual merchandising.

Washington, D.C. -- Shop.org’s holiday 2012 online sales forecast, released Tuesday, expects sales to grow 12% over last holiday season to as much as $96 billion. Last year, according to the Dept. of Commerce, e-commerce sales grew 15% during the months of November and December.