Marketing Tactics

Menlo Park, Calif. – Facebook will reportedly soon begin testing a new feature called “Trending Topics” with some U.S. mobile users. As reported by All Things D, Trending Topics will display a banner highlighting a specific topic. If the user clicks the banner, they will see related comments and posts from friends and other Facebook users they don’t know.

AT&T has transformed its store in LaGrange, Ill., to a new look that the company is rolling out at new and redesigned stores nationwide. Focused on the customer experience, the store is designed to create a more interactive and inviting store environment. Many of the elements (design and merchandising) were introduced at AT&T’s flagship on North Michigan Avenue in Chicago.

Doubling sales in any category within a four year time span would be an audacious goal for any retailer, but that was the objective Walmart set for itself in the beer category last fall, according to Bloomberg.

Canton, Mass. -- Dunkin' Donuts said it will open eight new restaurants in Rochester, N.Y., via a multi-unit store development agreement executed with existing franchisee Luis Ribeiro.

Ribeiro currently owns 25 of the 61 Dunkin' Donuts in the Greater Rochester area.  

"We expect 10 to 20 new Dunkin' Donuts restaurants to open in Rochester over the next few years," said Grant Benson, VP franchising and business development, Dunkin' Brands.

Dayton, Ohio -- Retail design firm Interbrand Design Forum has announced seven new hires to support its continued growth. Staff additions include three new members to the environmental design team, a fixture specialist and several supporting staff members.

Ryan Slicer has been named Senior Environmental Designer. Previously he worked with WD Partners.

Amanda Handermann joins as an Environmental Designer. Before coming to Interbrand Design Forum she co-founded the Wig Wam Collaborative, a multi-disciplinary freelance design team.

Greenwood Village, Colo. — Red Robin Gourmet Burgers will open a new restaurant at Palisades Center Mall in Nyack, N.Y., on Aug. 19.

To help celebrate the grand opening, Red Robin will donate all receipts from the first week of sales of its signature Freckled Lemonade to Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports research into cures for children’s cancer.

McLean, Va. – Cabela’s used mobile payment processing software from Sage Payment Solutions at seven recent Family Outdoor Days events for holders of its Cabela’s Club Visa card. Sage Mobile Payments was successfully deployed at the Dilliner, Pa., Berlin, Wis., Puyallup, Wash., and Billings, Mont. Family Outdoor Days on June 1, June 20, July 13 and July 27, respectively. The three remaining Family Outdoor Days events will occur in Prior Lake, Minn., on Aug. 10, Cedar Fort, Utah, on Aug. 24, and Kearney, Neb., on Sept. 28.

Locker Room by LIDS is the name of a new licensed team merchandise department that will appear in 200 Macy’s stores and Macys.com beginning this fall which could help the nation’s largest department store operator become more relevant to sports fans.

IRVING, Texas — The relationship between retailers and their suppliers are of paramount importance, and Michaels Stores marks that relationship every year at its annual partner conference, where the company recognizes its top partners at its Vendor and Supply Chain Partner of the Year Awards.

Michaels recognized the contributions of 12 vendor and supply chain partners to the retailer during the past year.

ISELIN, N.J. — Maidenform Brands’ reported total net sales of $145.4 million for the second quarter ended June 29, a 7.7% decrease from $157.5 million for the same quarter last year, were in line with the company’s expectations.