Marketing Tactics

SONOMA, Calif. — Banana Republic and Clos Du Bois Winery announced that they have teamed up for a line of limited-edition wine bottles adorned with festive labels designed by Banana Republic creative director Simon Kneen. The wine bottles, available in Nort Coast Chardonnay and North Coast Cabernet Sauvignon varietals, are priced under $20 and will feature Kneen's hand-sketched labels.

Former Walmart president and CEO Lee Scott was a keynote speaker earlier this week at the National Beer Wholesalers Association’s 74th annual convention and trade show at Ceasar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

Promotional materials billed his appearance as an exciting opportunity to hear about the leadership, innovation and business strategies that led Walmart to be such a successful retailer and noted that Scott would also participate in a candid question and answer forum where distributors would have the opportunity to ask some tough questions.

It looks like there are going to be some unhappy folks in Walmart’s supplier community later today. That’s because there are only a few seats remaining for the Emerging Trends in Retail conference that is organized each fall by the Center for Retail Excellence in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — Sears announced that it has expanded its online toy shop to provide parents with a trusted and fun resource for toy advice. 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy is holding on Oct. 23 its first annual "2011 Halloween Party and Customer Event" at all 7,200 locations nationwide.

Children who slip on a Halloween costume and purchase any item at any CVS/pharmacy location on Oct. 23 during regular store hours will receive one free Halloween gift pack per child, as well as an in-store costume photo shoot, which includes a free 5x7 print, during select times throughout the day.

The Halloween gift pack, available for free with any purchase while supplies last, includes:

NEW YORK — Macy's has announced Doo-Ri Chung as the next acclaimed fashion designer to take part in the designer capsule collection series for the retailer's contemporary fashion 'Impulse' department.

WASHINGTON — It looks like this year's holiday shoppers have a renewed focus on value and will comparison shop by utilizing smartphones, tablets and mobile applications to make purchasing decisions, according to the latest National Retail Federation Survey.

PALO ALTO, Calif. — A location-based mobile shopping application has teamed up with a supermarket chain to reward users for buying specific products or brands.

Shopkick said users that shop at Giant Eagle now can utilize the app's Kickbuys technology at any of the chain's 228 stores. Shopkick users can collect thousands of "kicks" by buying featured products from many of the world's leading brands, Shopkick said.