Marketing Tactics

The retail industry is awash with digital innovations, but traditional paid search programs continue to dominate retailers’ digital marketing tactics, according to the 2014 Shop.org/Forrester Research State of Retailing Online study.

The economic trend for some time now has been a slow and meandering recovery. Despite improving consumer confidence numbers, a surprising first quarter GDP decline of 2.9% speaks to that uncertainty. Retail analysts and observers have a tendency to blame the weather whenever we have a bad economic quarter or when retail sales are unexpectedly sluggish, but I tend to be a little dubious of those explanations. Last winter was definitely rough enough to impact spending, but I don’t think it’s enough to explain the continued issues into the spring.

Dodgeville, Wis. - Lands' End Kids is running a promotion involving digital pop-up stores in partnership with The Bakery by blogging site PopSugar. Seven style influencers and popular PopSugar Select mom bloggers will curate a collection of "First-day Faves" with a new digital pop-up shop launching each week on the Lands’ End e-commerce site.

New York - The back-to-school (BTS) shopping season is already in full swing, with over one-third (37%) of consumers having begun their shopping – up from the 29% who started at this time last year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers. And roughly 90% of households indicated a selection of brick-and-mortar retail as a shopping venue for the BTS season.

The Global Retail Marketing Association (GRMA) advisory board has named Hhgregg’s chief marketing officer Julie Lyle chairperson for 2015. Lyle succeeds Brian Beitler, EVP and chief marketing officer, David’s Bridal, who served as chairman from 2012 to 2014.

Boston - Food is a major driver of the American urban experience. According to a new survey of residents of six major U.S, cities by design firm Sasaki Associates, 82% of urbanites appreciate their city's culinary offerings, and a new restaurant is the top reason the majority of them (46%) would venture to a new part of their city.

Los Angeles -- Paid search programs are the most popular online customer acquisition tactic. According to the 2014 Shop.org/Forrester Research Inc. State of Retailing Online study, which surveyed 81 retailers in May and June 2014, 85% of retailers cite search engine marketing as one of the most effective customer acquisition tactics.

Model, actress and television presenter Kelly Brook has signed on with Skechers to appear globally in the footwear company’s multiplatform marketing and social media campaigns through 2015.

"It doesn’t get any bigger than Skechers when it comes to lifestyle footwear so I’m thrilled to be working with this amazing brand,” said Brook. “Skechers has brilliantly comfortable shoes in so many colors and looks. I love it and can’t wait to get started with this campaign!”