Marketing Tactics

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Actress Jennifer Garner, on behalf of Save the Children is teaming up with Frigidaire, makers of the Affinity Front Load Washer, to invite families everywhere to share their "Adventures in Clean."

Consumers can go to Frigidaire's Facebook page to create and share movie posters chronicling their personal adventures in clean for a chance to win a new Frigidaire Affinity washer and dryer as well as a trip to Hollywood for the "The Odd Life of Timothy Green," starring Garner, premiere.

The holiday hype has begun, and Target this week launched one of the first salvos, announcing an innovative partnership with 24 designers and the upscale department store chain Neiman Marcus.

Having past the calendar’s mid-point, we thought it would be interesting to take a look at the most viewed stories of the year to date on Chainstoreage.com. (Based on the results, it’s clear that J.C. Penney is shaping up as THE story of 2012.) Here are the Top 10 stories of the first six months:

ABILENE, Kan. — Alco Stores has promoted Brent Streit to SVP marketing and e-commerce.

Streit, a native of Downs, Kansas and a graduate of Kansas State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing, has more than 20 years of experience in retailing. In 2001 he joined Alco, then known as Duckwall-ALCO Stores Inc., as a buyer. Since then he has held increasingly responsible positions in supply chain management, marketing and business development.

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Office Depot is supporting Lady Gaga's Born This Way Foundation by offering an exclusive line of products designed to empower youth and inspire bravery.

Philadelphia -- Destination Maternity said its third-quarter revenue fell 5.3% to $138.8 million. Wall Street had expected $146.4 million. The retailer cut its third-quarter earnings forecast, citing weaker-than-expected sales.

Same-store sales fell 2.4%.
 

A partnership between New York designer Liz Lange and Target has contributed to a transformation of the maternity wear market over the past decade, according to Target’s hometown newspaper the Star Tribune.

A recent article on the partnership and its success quoted Lange and even got SVP Trish Adams to hold still for a photo shoot at a downtown Minneapolis store.

Indianapolis — In light of poor performance in its video category, electronics retailer Hhgregg has lowered its fiscal 2013 guidance.

Hhgregg is expecting net sales for its first quarter to be approximately $490 million, an increase of approximately 13.5% as compared with the $431.5 million of net sales reported in the fiscal first quarter last year. The company attributes the sales growth to the net addition of 30 new stores during the quarter.