Marketing Tactics

Seattle –- Amazon.com and Sears Holdings Corp. have both reportedly removed men’s rings featuring the Nazi swastika emblem from their websites after public complaints. According to the Wall Street Journal, in both instances the items were sold by third-party vendors, but the companies handled the complaints differently.  

Los Angeles -- More than half (63%) of U.S. online shoppers are not familiar with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba.com, according to a survey by Bizrate Insights, a division of Connexity (formerly Shopzilla).

 

Interestingly, respondents not familiar with the Alibaba brand or website skewed toward younger generations and women (who traditionally are the decision makers behind the lion’s share of retail).

 

Global branded play leader Hasbro, Inc. today announced the promotion of John Frascotti to the newly-created position of president, Hasbro Brands, effective immediately.

In this new role, Frascotti assumes the additional responsibilities of worldwide product development and now oversees all of the company’s global marketing and design and development teams.  By combining the teams, the company will continue to drive strong innovation, maximize operational efficiency, facilitate greater collaboration and streamline decision-making.

Fifty Best Buy stores nationwide have launched new interactive departments branded as, “The Intel Experience.”

What makes the initiative interesting is that Intel is a brand that powers many consumers electronics devices, but it isn’t a brand consumer directly seek out the way they do Samsung, Apple or LG.

Food Lion partnered with its customers and Feeding America to help provide 1.5 million meals to families in need.  

Thanks to a program that began on September 17, each time a customer purchased the specially-marked apples Food Lion helped provide five meals to local food banks.

Canton, Mass. –- Dunkin’ Donuts plans to open 40 new restaurants in Michigan during the next several years, in addition to more than 60 currently operating in the state. The retailer continues to recruit franchise candidates there with an emphasis on Flint, Lansing and Traverse City.    

Bay Shore, N.Y. -- MIA Concessions has deployed advanged digital signage in Miami International Airport’s (MIA)) South Terminal in the form of bilingual digital passenger assistants.   The technology, from Tensator, provides passengers with high-tech virtual shopping consultants and also serves as an advertising vehicle for shops and restaurants to reach high multi-lingual air travelers to Miami.  

Santa Clara, Calif. -- Intel debuted “The Intel Experience” in-store shops in 50 Best Buy locations nationwide. The hands-on “experience zone” gives shoppers the opportunity to try, explore and play with the latest, cutting-edge technologies from 3-D printing to digital disc-jockey remixing.