Mobile Marketing

Armonk, N.Y. -- A survey released Thursday by IBM found that chief marketing officers and chief information officers must join forces in order to connect with today’s consumer across new channels including mobile devices and social networks.

Retailers are always looking for new ways to reach customers, and the race to get onto Facebook walls and news feeds to increase brand exposure has never been greater.

But instead of shelling out dollars to pay for traditional Facebook ads and online banners, many companies are allowing shoppers to do the grunt work for them in an organic way. One of the latest trends is combining social sharing with gift giving, so consumers can send presents — from gift cards to apparel — to others via Facebook.

NEW YORK — Procter & Gamble, in partnership with Walmart.com, is targeting urban shoppers in New York and Chicago throughout the month of June to offer savings on limited-edition everyday essentials.

Through the promotion — which kicked off in Chicago on Wednesday and launched in New York on Thursday — P&G is bringing to life its “everyday needs delivered for free” message for consumables.

BENTONVILLE, Ark — Walmart has teamed up with Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Marvel Entertainment to offer customers the ultimate Spider-Man experience weeks before the release of The Amazing Spider-Man, in theaters July 3.

Spending on Father’s Day is projected to total $12.7 billion this year, and Walmart should get a decent portion of that total given its strength in top gift giving categories.

The Nation Retail Federation forecast this week that average spending per person for Father’s Day would increase 10% to $117 per person from $106 last year, further narrowing the gap with Mother’s Day when spending per person averaged $152.

WASHINGTON — While dads usually don't get the same caliber of gift for Father's Day as moms do or Mother's Day, if the results of NRF's latest survey are to be believed, dads should be pretty pleased with what they receive this year.

PITTSBURGH and PALO ALTO, Calif. — American Eagle Outfitters has expanded its partnership with Shopkick to reward customers just for walking into one of their American Eagle Outfitters or Aerie stores.

"Shopkick is an ideal partner for AEO as we strive to be an early adopter of technologies that matter to our customers," said Fred Grover, EVP American Eagle Outfitters, Inc. "We are excited to expand our long-time partnership with shopkick to delight customers in all of our stores nationwide."

NEW YORK — Retail executives have more cash, are adding employees and enjoying stronger revenue, but they remain quite guarded longer term, not seeing a complete economic recovery until 2014 or later, according to the 2012 Retail Outlook Survey by audit, tax, and advisory firm KPMG LLP.

In the recent survey, 77% of retail executives indicate that their companies have significant cash on the balance sheet – up from 72% in KPMG's 2011 survey – and 56% say their companies' cash positions have increased from last year.

Washington, D.C. -- Consumers are using Pinterest to engage with retailers more than Facebook or Twitter, according to a survey released Thursday by Shop.org, comScore and The Partnering Group.

Additionally, the “2012 Social and Mobile Commerce Study” discovered that one third of smartphone owners who shop online share their location with a retailer.

Boston -- Mobile and social marketing platform-provider Zmags said Thursday that The Container Store has selected Zmags Professional to create interactive digital catalogs designed deepen customer engagement across all channels.