Retailer Campaigns

Skechers USA’s recently remodeled East Coast flagship store on 42nd St. in Manhattan’s Times Square has incorporated five outdoor LED displays and three static displays to make its own statement on one of the world’s most visually noisy stages.

Warrendale, Pa. -- Rue21 is partnering with Sony Pictures Entertainment to promote the release of "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones.” The promotion awards a winner with two tickets to the Hollywood movie premiere; three additional winners receive movie prize packs.

In addition, Rue21 is hosting two legs of Sony Pictures' 10-market mall tour where fans can see the stars of the film, Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower. Rue21 is hosting the events at the Chicago Ridge Mall (Chicago) and Franklin Mills Mall (Philadelphia).

New York -- Forbes reported that CVS has opted not to sell the latest edition of Rolling Stone magazine, which features a photo of “Boston Bomber” Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on its cover.

North Plainfield, N.J. -- Levin Management has promoted Melissa Sievwright to assistant VP marketing from director of marketing. Sievwright joined the company as associate marketing director in 2010.

When she moved up to director of marketing, she took on the firm’s corporate branding efforts, implemented promotional campaigns for client properties and supported Levin’s efforts to market vacancies within the company’s 90 shopping centers.

Minneapolis -- Retailer promotion activity continued to grow with a 21.6% increase to more than 11.3 billion pages in the first half of 2013, with Walmart leading in retailer activity, according to Kantar Media’s Marx report. Following on Walmart’s heels were Walgreens, Target and Family Dollar.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer conducted a survey of its customers, which revealed that 90% of them plan to spend the same or more than they did last year and 40% will have completed their back-to-school shopping before the school year begins. 

Median spend will range between $101-$150 per student and $201-$250 in total. In addition, 15% of parents expect students to help pay for a portion of school expenses and nearly 30% will get help from grandparents.

New York -- Fashion designer and retailer Kenneth Cole is partnering with the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots on the launch of a limited-edition capsule shoe collection arriving in stores for the holiday season.

To promote the launch, a designated area in front of the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street in Manhattan) will encourage passersby to try and win a pair of Kinky Boots tickets by following @kennethcoleprd and @kinkybootsbway and Instagraming a photo of their "kinky" shoes using #KCKinkyboots.

Twinkies fans devastated by the news that their Hostess snack cake was to be no more have been waiting for its comeback Monday, July 15. Walmart wants those folks to know that they don't need to wait until Monday to treat themselves.

“Twinkies Watch” is officially on at the retailer. Starting today, the new Hostess Twinkies will be available at select Walmart stores nationwide. All domestic U.S. stores will be fully stocked by 12:01 a.m. Sunday, July 14, and stores in Hawaii and Alaska in the coming weeks.
 

NEW YORK — Macy's is launching its latest Parisian-inspired fashion brand, Maison Jules, atop a limited-edition bicycle — so to speak — in collaboration with Martone Cycling Company.

CHICAGO — Sara Lee Foodservice, a division of the Hillshire Brands Company, has introduced a line of products aimed at the kindergarten-12th grade education sector, focusing on turkey items for both breakfast and lunch.

Additionally, Sara Lee Foodservice will be participating in the United States Department of Agriculture Commodity Food Distribution Program that enables schools to purchase items at reduced prices.