Entertainment Tie-ins / Licensing

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. 

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.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys“R”Us announced that it has once again teamed up with four-time NBA Champion, actor, philanthropist and entrepreneur Shaquille O’Neal to launch its eighth annual nationwide fundraising campaign to benefit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation.

SAN FRANCISCO — Old Navy has partnered with Telemundo to launch telenovela-style miniseries for the web. The Spanish-language web novela, "Estilos Robados" (Stolen Styles), is a six part miniseries that launched last Friday, Oct. 14 and will air on Fridays through Nov. 18 on the "Estilos Robados" tab within Old Navy's Facebook page and on Old Navy's Spanish YouTube channel, as well as on Telemundo Movil.

The Associated Press reported last week that First Lady Michelle Obama was sighted shopping incognito at a D.C. area Target store wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses. Secret Service agents arrived about a half-hour before Mrs. Obama, who walked in through the main entrance with an assistant and spent 30 to 40 minutes shopping and pushing her own cart, according to AP.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway announced that Portland, Ore. has been named "America's Most Natural City." The city earned the title by garnering the most votes on Facebook.  As a result, Portland will receive a donation of $20,000 and 25 picnic tables constructed from the Guinness World Record holder for the World's Longest Picnic Table. 

This fall, Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group will bring high-energy runway shows and events to shoppers across the nation with “Simon Fashion Now,” a series of free events held at select Simon shopping centers.

Earlier in September, Simon Fashion Now kicked off in Houston – at The Galleria – and the tour will continue at Simon properties in Boca Raton, Fla. (Town Center at Boca Raton); Burlington, Mass. (Burlington Mall); Garden City, N.Y. (Roosevelt Field); and Charlotte, N.C. (SouthPark).

September may seem a bit early to put out a holiday toy list, considering most consumers just finished spending for back-to-school and still have Halloween to think about, but garnering media attention is important. Many retailers who have a hand in toy retailing will put out some sort of toy list, and Walmart is among them. However if it continues the trend of last year, Walmart won't release its list until early November, which is more in line with when consumers begin thinking about holiday shopping.