Retailer Campaigns

It may be the middle of summer, but H&M executives have the busy Christmas shopping season on the brain: The retailer has already selected its holiday campaign spokeswoman.

Katy Perry announced on Instagram Thursday that she would appear in the retailer's 2015 holiday campaign.

Michaels is teaming up with two of the world's biggest names in fine art to sponsor an omnichannel promotion for artists.

Michaels' Art Challenge: A Fine Art Competition will accept images of original artworks in oil or acrylic paint on canvas or watercolor on watercolor paper beginning July 26 and continuing through Aug. 15 at Michaels.com/artchallenge or in Canada at Canada.Michaels.com/artchallenge.

Stride Rite is revamping its brand platform to implement product and service improvements, including an exclusive line of footwear at Target.

Bentonville, Ark. – Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is not backing down in its challenge to the upcoming July 15 Amazon “Prime Day” event. One day after reducing the minimum online purchase for free shipping from $50 to $35 and reducing prices on thousands of online items, Wal-Mart is going a step further and guaranteeing it will offer lower prices than Amazon.

New York -- Starbucks Corp. is expanding its already extensive global footprint.

The chain announced it will open its first stores in South Africa next year in a partnership deal with South African management group Taste Holdings. The initial store is scheduled to open in Johannesburg during the first half of 2016.

Salisbury, N.C. – How low can Food Lion go? When it comes to prices, very low indeed.

Food Lion has lowered prices on thousands of items it has identified as being most important to customers. The price reductions also include new signage throughout the store designed to make finding sale items easier.

Batavia, Ill. -- Comedian Ben Bailey is doing his thing in an Aldi supermarket as opposed to his usual taxi cab.

Aldi, the fast-growing deep-discount supermarket chain, has teamed up with Ben Bailey, best known as host of the former TV series "Cash Cab,” in an online video series. Described as equal parts education and entertainment, the series is designed to help introduce Aldi to new customers across the United States and in Southern California specifically, where it is planning to open approximately 45 new stores in 2016.

Bentonville, Ark. – It’s no secret that a big part of Wal-Mart’s strategy is to maintain its market share in the face of competition from Amazon.com, and maybe even steal some away.

But Wal-Mart is now taking the fight for customers directly to Amazon in a big way with a new pricing and shipping promotion that directly challenges the upcoming July 15 Amazon “Prime Day” event.