Social Media

Kohl’s is betting big on the notion that a new focus on health and wellness will increase sales.

The retailer is greatly expanding its assortment of active lifestyle and wellness offerings through brand launches, partnerships and unique social integrations that further the company’s commitment to active and well lifestyles promoted under the Make Your Move initiative launched earlier this year.

Sears has teamed up with organizers of a next-generation athletic event that involves slogging through mud to promote its best-selling Kenmore brand in stores, online and via social media.

The Kenmore brand announced that for the second consecutive year, it will be the official household appliance sponsor of the Dity Girl Mud Run, the original women-only national 5K obstacle and race event.

The North Face’s latest unique marketing campaign is inviting customers to the mountains for a workout without ever leaving the store.

The outdoors and fitness apparel company's latest promotion will bring Mountain Athletics workouts to five cities across the country, and customers are invited to sign up and engage in-store and online via a variety of digital marketing offerings.

Beginning March 31, the North Face will host twice-weekly free strength and conditioning workouts in Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Boston.

By Dan Goldman, Kurt Salmon

Just like bell-bottoms and leg warmers, mom-and-pop retailers are back. Not long ago, it seemed like they would be permanently relegated to some dusty attic space, a relic fighting for relevancy.

Big-box stores put them there. Between 1992 and 2014, the share of U.S. retail stores owned by companies with fewer than 500 employees fell 13%.i That’s because big boxes promised lower prices and a wider assortment, points brought home by large mass market advertising campaigns.

Trendy teen retailer American Apparel reported a deep decline in fourth quarter revenue, as the company grapples with a social media scandal and losses stemming from an investigation of its former CEO.

Proctor & Gamble is trying to increase Latina interest in its products with a new “Living Fabulosa” (living fabulously) initiative.

It is part pf the company’s Orgullosa campaign, which highlights the unique and complex experience of the modern, bicultural Latina -- the Nueva Latina.

Barnes & Noble is launching a Twitter giveaway to promote its famous in-store Storytimes.

The bookseller announced that its April lineup of free Storytime events includes a Picture Book of the Month selection, as well as a Twitter giveaway to encourage parents and children to attend.

Sears and Craftsman have kicked off their second annual “MAKEcation” promotion with a sweepstakes that sends the winner to an event this fall in Brooklyn. 

From now through July 31, Craftsman Club and Shop Your Way members can enter for a chance to win a trip to this experience by visiting www.craftsman.com/makecation.