Digital Marketing

Seattle –- VenueLabs is launching a free social listening tool geared for small businesses called AboutLocal. AboutLocal lets small retailers listen to and engage with customers in real time across hundreds of disparate channels.  

New York -- Using smartphones and tablets to shop for the holidays has grown by 53% since 2012, and is expected to play a big role in decision making and actual purchases this year, according to the American Express Spending & Saver Tracker. The report finds the average American consumer is back to holiday spending at 2012 levels, and will plan to shell out $842 this year (vs. $1,260 in 2013 and $848 in 2012).   Consumers saying they will use their gadgets to:

Austin, Texas -- A majority of Americans would be comfortable divulging information about themselves anonymously to their favorite stores (60%) or a product brand (56%), and close to half would anonymously share personal data to an app (46%). According to a new national survey from Wearables.com and The Center for Generational Kinetics, some consumers will also share personal information in exchange for certain benefits.  

A decade after founding Triad Retail Media, Greg Murtagh is stepping down as CEO of the digital retail media company to pursue new opportunities.

Stepping up to the CEO role is current president and COO Roger Berdusco who worked closely with Murtagh since the innovative agency was founded in 2004. Murtagh will remain on the company’s board of directors.

Austin, Texas -- Whole Food Market on Monday launched its first national brand campaign, a multichannel advertising initiative. The effort is spearheaded by seasoned marketing veteran Jeannine D’Addario, Whole Foods’ new global VP of communications.   

The innovative online shopping destination Gilt.com named Clay Cowan chief marketing officer to oversee global strategy, management, and revenue, for all digital channels.

Cowan joins Gilt.com from Starwood Hotels and Resorts global digital business team where he ran digital experiences for nine global brands and Starwood's SPG loyalty program in multiple languages and countries around the world. 

Chicago -- More than 80% of shoppers visit three or more channels to carry out CPG shopping, according to IRI’s new Times & Trend report, “Channel Migration: The Road to Growth Has Many Lanes”.   

With marketers all abuzz about beacons, mobile technology company Swirl Networks said it has created the first programmatic ad exchange for proximity-based in store mobile marketing.