Cause Marketing/ Community Programs

Seattle -- Starbucks Corp. stirred up controversy even as it excited shareholders at the company’s annual meeting on Wednesday.

The CVS Health Foundation is backing up its promise to make a $5 million  commitment to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids by announcing the first four winners of grants.

Seattle – Starbucks Corp. is publicly calling for better race relations and public discussion of racial issues in the U.S. The company took out full-page advertisements promoting better race relations in the New York Times and USA Today earlier this week, and also is encouraging employees and customers to participate in the effort.

Chicago-based True Value Co. showed its true colors -- and legacy when it comes to producing and selling paint -- on Monday during the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade.

The company erected a 40-foot-tall True Value paint stick and stuck it in the water on the northeast corner of Michigan Avenue. The paint stick stunt was conceived by MARC USA Chicago to leverage True Value’s first time as a sponsor of the annual event. The paint stick will be embossed with the line, “The Value Of The Perfect Color.”

Sprouts Farmers Market is hoping Nascar fans will be racing to its stores after the Phoenix-based retailer signed on for a major sponsorship.

The 200-unit retailer of fresh, natural and organic foods will be the primary sponsor of Cole Whitt’s number 35 Ford Fusion when the green flag drops at this weekend’s CampingWorld.com 500 at the Phoenix International Raceway. According to Sprouts, the 23-year-old Whitt is an Arizona native committed to living a healthy lifestyle. Sprouts also operates more than 20 stores in and around Phoenix.

Bentonville, Ark. -- Shoppers interested in purchasing products from women-owned companies will find it easier to do so at Walmart with the introduction of a new logo and related promotional effort. The new initiative launched March 11 will see a unique logo featured on retail packaging of products from women-owned businesses, available both in-store and online.

Shoppers interested in purchasing products from women-owned companies will find it easier to do so at Walmart with the introduction of a new logo and related promotional effort.

The decade-old team effort between Lowe's and Habitat for Humanity was on display again this month in Las Vegas, but this time, a six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion joined the team as well.

Jimmie Johnson worked together with Lowe’s employee volunteers and other volunteers from Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas to raise the walls of a new home at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the Kobalt 400 race weekend.

Fans of Cinderella will have a chance to write their own happily-ever-after with a new digital marketing campaign from Zales Jewelers.

As part of Zales’ promotion of Disney’s new “Cinderella” movie (out this month), Zales is inviting Cinderella fans to upload a photo with their prince charming to its website (www.zales.com/Cinderella) or on Instagram using the hashtag #ZalesCinderellaPromo. Through a sweepstakes drawing, a grand prize winner will be selected to receive a $10,000 Zales gift card. A first runner up will receive a $1,000 Zales gift card.

Small business customers are the lifeblood of Sam’s Club and to ensure the continued vitality of the crucial shopper segment the retailer is supporting an entrepreneurial youth organization.

Sam’s donated $250,000 to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) and the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) to grow and support YEA!’s national educational program that works to transform middle and high school students into confident entrepreneurs.