Marketing Tactics

The Kroger Co. is looking to extend its share of consumers' food dollars — this time, however, it’s aiming for the dollars spent on meals outside the home.    The supermarket retailer is opening its first-ever full-service restaurant, which will be located next to Kroger's new Marketplace store in Union, Kentucky. In a nod to the year Kroger was founded, the restaurant will be called Kitchen 1883. It will open in late October.   

The president and CEO of Macy's, Jeff Gennette, and Google's president of global partnerships, Daniel Alegre, will be among the headliners at Shoptalk 2018, the nex-gen retail and e-commerce event.   Also on the bill: Alon Cohen, president and co-founder of Houzz, the home furnishings and design site. Shoptalk's final agenda will feature more than 400 speakers, an increase of 25% over 2017’s event.  

The maker of what it calls "the world's most comfortable shoes" has set up shop in New York City.   Allbirds, the eco-friendly online brand with a fast-growing and devoted following (especially in the Silicon Valley), has opened its second brick-and-mortar location, in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood. The company opened its first store, on the ground floor of its San Francisco headquarters, in April.  

Office supply retailer Office Depot has tapped a 30-year marketing veteran to lead its marketing efforts.    Office Depot announced that Jerri DeVard has been appointed executive VP and chief marketing officer. She will report directly to Office Depot CEO Gerry Smith.  

With access to more disposable income, Hispanic consumers will up their holiday spending this year — especially through e-commerce.  

DSW Inc. is making good on its promise to create a foothold in the Persian Gulf.   The footwear giant opened of its first warehouse store in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new 15,000-sq.-ft. store is located at the Mall of Dhahran.   

Amazon is expanding into one of the go-to destinations for product discovery.   This was according to “Amazon: The Big E-Commerce Marketing Opportunity for Brands,” a report from Kenshoo. The study is based on 3,100 consumers in the United States, Germany, United Kingdom and France.  

Target Corp. is launching a new brand with HGTV's 'Fixer Upper' stars Chip and Joanna Gaines, and it's doing it just in time for the holidays.   The retailer announced an exclusive multi-year partnership with Magnolia, the home and lifestyle brand founded by the Gaines, to launch a home and lifestyle goods line called Hearth & Hand. It is Magnolia’s first collaboration with a retailer.