Entertainment Tie-ins / Licensing

Target is reaching out directly where consumers digitally congregate for its new Halloween promotion.

Target has launched a six-part YouTube interactive video series, “The House on Hallow Hill,” for Halloween this year. The interactive videos will take viewers through a haunted house and give them options to visit different themed rooms, such as “The Ghoulish Graveyard.”

Retailers who still think virtual reality is just for hard-core gamers should think again.

In another example of how physical retailers are employing state-of-the-art technology to remain engaging — and relevant — in a digital age, specialty apparel powerhouse Tommy Hilfiger on Tuesday became the first major retailer to employ virtual reality in its stores. The technology offers shoppers who otherwise might never attend a runway show a chance to view close-up and personal the fall runway show of the Hilfiger Collection.

Maryland-based specialty retailer Smyth Jewelers and jewelry designer Uneek Fine Jewelry have installed the world’s largest engagement ring outside Smyth’s store in Timonium, Maryland.

The ring stands 17 ft. tall and measures 14 ft. wide. It is modeled after a Uneek Jewelry design and took over a year to fabricate and install. (To see a video, click here.)

Target Corp. is turning TV into an immediate sales driver with a new omnichannel ad campaign.

According to ClickZ, Target is partnering with Shazam, an online music app that has been expanding its functionality, to capture sales from consumers as they watch TV. Target is running TV ads that ask consumers to “Shazam to Shop Now.”

Online beauty and grooming retailer Birchbox is moving into product development as the company launches its own brand of beauty products.

Toys"R"Us is looking to make the holidays a lot merrier for the 15.5 million children living in poverty in the United States.

The retailer has launched its annual nationwide fundraising campaign to benefit the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation. Now through Dec. 6, customers can spread holiday joy to children living in poverty by donating new, unwrapped toys at any Toys"R"Us or Babies"R"Us store across the country and online.

Fresh Thyme Farmers Market is upping its store count in the greater Chicago market.

The new specialty grocer will open three Chicagoland stores on Oct. 14, with one in the city, one in Crystal Lake and one in Naperville. The openings will give Fresh Thyme seven Chicagoland locations.

The chain, which offers organic products at value prices, recently opened a central support hub in Downers Grove, Illinois.

The “paint ‘n’ sip” phenomenon, whereby friends, neighbors, and colleagues come together to paint, drink and relax, is showing no signs of slowing down and that’s good news for a Louisiana-based company.

Painting with a Twist, which bills itself as the original and largest paint-and-sip franchise, has opened more than one new location each week this year, and is on track to reach its goal of 100 new locations in 2015.

The “paint ‘n’ sip” phenomenon, whereby friends, neighbors, and colleagues come together to paint, drink and relax, is showing up signs of slowing down and that’s good news for a Louisiana-based company.

Painting with a Twist, which bills itself as the original and largest paint-and-sip franchise, has opened more than one new location each week this year, and is on track to reach its goal of 100 new locations in 2015.