Media Advertising

Time Inc.'s All You brand is expanding its newsstand distribution beginning with the April 2014 issue, already in newsstands.

In addition to being sold at Walmart, All You will be available at most major retail chains across the country including supermarkets, drugstores and bookstores like Kroger, Publix, Safeway, Target, CVS, Walgreens and Barnes & Noble, in addition to being sold by subscription. This expansion follows a successful rollout across retailers in the Southeast market that began last June.

Hasbro has elected Richard Stoddart, CEO, North America at Leo Burnett Worldwide, to its board of directors.

Louisville, Ky. -- Papa John’s is launching a television commercial starring iconic sportscaster Jim Nantz, and Papa John’s founder, chairman and CEO, John Schnatter, touting the company’s online ordering platform. The commercial also reminds consumers that Papa John’s was the first national pizza company with online ordering at all of its U.S. delivery restaurants in 2001.

Actress Sofia Vergara is launching her first scent, called Sofia by Sofia Vergara. The fragrance makes its debut exclusively with Home Shopping Network (HSN) at 12:01 a.m. April 24 and in key markets internationally, and rolls out to retailers nationwide in September.  

"Sofia by Sofia Vergara is designed for the woman who wants to feel irresistible and truly enjoys being a woman," said Vergara. "I wanted to bring a little bit of who I am, my ethnicity and create a fragrance that is a true reflection of me."
 

Major changes in retailers’ use of digital coupons and free standing insert promotions were evident in 2013 and especially pronounced at Walmart, Target and Kroger, according to an extensive analysis conducted by the Marx division of Kantar Media.

Retailers’ overall advertising expenditures were relatively in 2013 when compared to the prior year; however, there were large spikes in digital coupon events and free standing insert (FSI) coupon promotion pages.
 

Alpharetta, Ga. - Almost half (45%) of brands see measuring ROI as a challenge in using Twitter as a marketing tool, followed by building an audience (42%) and engagement (37%). In addition, a new survey of brand marketers from Social Media Marketing University (SMMU) shows that 40% of brands agree that Twitter is an effective marketing tool and 25% strongly agree, but 31% are undecided, 1% agree and 3% strongly agree.

In recognition of shoppers’ desire for clean foods with minimal ingredients, Bumble Bee has introduced a new “Heritage Pack” with labeling reminiscent of the 1950s. Retailers may be inclined to say, “so what,” but there are several interesting aspects to the initiative.

Packaging changes among CPG companies are common in an industry where genuine innovation is hard to come by. So a new label, color scheme or pack size tends to elicit a big yawn from retailers.

The “AHH Effect” advertising campaign Coca-Cola launched last year with a social and digital first philosophy is getting a dose of old fashioned television this spring.
 

Bad weather and a tepid economy claimed another retail victim on Thursday as family footwear retailer Shoe Carnival posted weak sales and profits.

The operator of 379 stores said sales during its 13 week fourth quarter ended February 1 fell to $200.3 million compared to $205.7 million during the 14 week fourth quarter the prior year. Same store sales declined 2.5%. Profits during the period fell more sharply to $600,000, or three cents a share, from $3.2 million, or 13 cents a share the prior year, as gross margins contracted to 28.5% from 29.3%.