Retailer Campaigns

Jeffrey Jones hit the marketing world’s equivalent of the lottery by landing the top marketing job at Target, a company with a well deserved reputation for clever campaigns and innovative brand activation strategies that will spend an estimated $1.4 billion on advertising this year. What more could a marketer ask for?

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart has bolstered its Easter assortment, offering a number of popular holiday items at competitive price points. For example, the retailer is offering a five-pack of Cadbury Eggs for $2.78, Marshmallow Peeps for $1 each and Starburst Jellybeans for $1.88.

To build their Easter baskets, Walmart is offering customers green Easter grass for 28 cents, plastic Easter Eggs (10 ct.) for 50 cents and Easter buckets/baskets for 97 cents each. 

NEW YORK — Francisco Costa, who serves as women's creative director for Calvin Klein Collection will design a limited edition capsule dress line exclusively for Macy's.

According to Macy's, this is the first time Costa has designed a more affordable dress offering for a national retailer.

Columbus, Ohio -- Express announced the launch of Express Next, a new points-based loyalty program open to all Express customers throughout the United States. It replaces the previous loyalty program that was only available to Express Credit Card holders, and is designed to meet the Express shopper's habits both in-store and online, as well as reward brand interaction via social media.

New York -- Target Corp. on Monday named Jeffrey Jones as executive VP and chief marketing officer, effective immediately. He succeeds Michael Francis who left the company in October to join J.C. Penney.

NEW YORK — Whole Foods Market is leading charge to promote the sale of sustainable seafood by becoming the first national grocer to stop selling red-rated seafood. The company announced that, beginning this Earth Day (April 22), it will no longer carry red-rated, wild-caught fish in its seafood departments. 

Goodlettsville, Tenn. -- Dollar General Corp. announced the opening of its 10,000 store, giving the retailer a coast-to-coast presence for the first time in its history. The location is in Merced, Calif., and is due to officially open on Saturday. It will be Dollar General’s fifth store to open in California.

“Opening the doors of our 10,000th store is a meaningful day for all of us at Dollar General, and we are excited to celebrate the occasion in California,” said Rick Dreiling, Dollar General’s chairman and CEO.

MONTREAL — Walmart Canada and Breakfast Clubs of Canada, an organization that provides breakfast to Canadian school children, have raised $2.9 million through their Help Them Shine Campaign.

The money raised will help launch 125 new in-school breakfast programs and increase its training programs with a specific focus on nutrition, youth self-esteem and volunteerism, according to a press release.

Opening day for Major League Baseball is April 5, and Target was on its promotional game this past weekend featuring assortments of MLB licensed products in its weekly ad.

SALISBURY, N.C. — Food Lion continues to implement its new strategy of offering greater value on store brands and being competitive on national brands, while providing a convenient shopping experience. The company announced that it has launched the strategy in 268 stores in Virginia, West Virginia and North Carolina. These markets are the first stores in 2012 to unveil the new strategy, the company said.