Social Media

A short video on the Bullseye View section of Target’s Web site feature new chief marketing officer Jeffrey Jones sharing his views on leadership, social media, partnership and what makes a successful CMO. The video is only one minute and 49 seconds long, but it is worth a gander and is also noteworthy from a communications standpoint as it is a great way for a company to expose a highly anticipated new hire to the marketplace, investors and its own employees. Click here.

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?

SAN BRUNO, Calif. — Walmart has revealed the 10 finalists that have been selected after the first round of public voting for its Get on the Shelf contest. According to the company, more than 4,000 inventors, entrepreneurs and small businesses from across the country submitted products into the contest and more than one million votes were cast in a tight race where the American public voted for items they would like to see carried by Walmart.

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 -- More than half of consumers (67%) said they plan to spend the same or more at retailers than they did last year, a nine percentage point increase from last year, according to the 2012 Spring Consumer Pulse Survey by Deloitte. Consumers also feel slightly better about the economy this year than last; 57% of survey respondents said the economy has been recently recovering, compared with 52% last year.

PLESANTON, Calif. — Safeway has partnered with singer/songwriter Avril Lavigne for a new, exclusive video to support its annual Support for People with Disabilities fundraising campaign to benefit Easter Seals, Special Olympics and an array of organizations that help people with disabilities live fuller, more independent lives.

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.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Parents of "Alvin and the Chipmunks" fans may soon be heading to Walmart to snatch up items from the retailer's exclusive children's line from Fox Consumer Products. The launch of the collection coincided with the Blu-ray and DVD release of "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" in Walmart stores on March 27.

Los Angeles -- Starbucks Coffee Co. has been rated number one in a study of the most socially engaged companies by PhaseOne, a leading analytical-based research firm that helps companies to improve the quality, content and success rate of their marketing communication materials.

Conducted between July 2011 and January 2012, PhaseOne's social media engagement study looked at 75 top brands across six vertical markets and analyzed the social media engagement of more than 20 top brands.

SUNBURY, Pa. — Weis Markets is expanding its presence in the digital space.

The company earlier this month launched a free mobile application, which allows customers to view its weekly circulars and compile detailed shopping lists on their iPhone and Android smartphones. Settings for the app can be customized so customers can view weekly circular specials at their local store and lists can be synchronized between the list on their device and their list on WeisMarkets.com. Additional features include: