Marketing Tactics

Los Angeles -- Bebe Stores, Inc. is naming Keith Keegan as senior VP of marketing, effective May 13. Keegan will be in charge of all aspects of marketing and branding across all Bebe brands and report to CEO Steve Birkhold.

Previously, Keegan has worked for Abercrombie and Fitch, Limited, and Express and most recently served as VP of marketing and creative director for American Eagle and the Aerie brand.

LOS ANGELES — Bebe has appointed former Limited executive Keith Keegan as SVP of marketing. In his new role, Keegan will lead all aspects of marketing and branding across all channels of the business. He will report to CEO Steve Birkhold.

MINNEAPOLIS — Summer’s not yet here, but Target has its bull’s-eye set on fall. The discount retailer is teaming up with designer Phillip Lim on an exclusive collection for women and men. 

Called 3.1 Phillip Lim for Target, the collection will be available Sept. 15 at most Target stores and online.

NEW YORK — The Buckle and Zumiez all reported better-than-expected same-store sales for April, even as concerns about the job market bit into other retailers’ results.

The Buckle, Inc. reported a 6.2% increase in same-store sales for April, well ahead of the 1.5% same-store revenue growth anticipated by Wall Street analysts. The teen apparel retailer also reported year-to-date same-store revenue growth of 1.2% and total sales of $269.7 million, a 2.3% increase. 

SALT LAKE CITY — As part of its philanthropic efforts, Walmart is holding a fundraiser between now and Friday, June 21 benefiting Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

Walmart is inviting customers and Sam’s Club members to make a $1 donation or more at the retailers’ more than 4,600 U.S. locations. Participants can add a “Miracle Balloon” donation during checkout, and 100% of all funds raised will go directly to the member hospital in the area. 

Bentonville, Ark. — Walmart and its philanthropic arm, the Walmart Foundation, were busy working alongside notable food companies in April, as part of the corporation’s Fighting Hunger Together Initiative. 

Between April 1 and April 30, more than 443,000 votes were cast for the more than 300 eligible Feeding America food banks and partner agencies as part of the campaign, which fights hunger in local communities. 

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart’s Acres for America program, a conservation partnership with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, is working on new projects in Arkansas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Maine and Oregon.

Central Garden & Pet's CEO is not settling for the company's margins and bottom line results, despite reporting second-quarter net sales of $498.2 million, a 7% increase over the comparable fiscal 2012 period.

The company's net income for the second quarter ended March 30 was $22.2 million, compared with net income of $21.6 million in the second quarter of 2012. 

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Rite Aid has Pantry, Walmart has Great Value and now CVS/pharmacy has added Total Home, a new home care product line available exclusively at CVS/pharmacy stores nationwide, to its store brand portfolio.

The company is leveraging the store brand offering — which includes facial and bath tissue, paper towels, trash bags, food storage necessities, kitchen and bathroom cleaners, bulbs and extension cords — to strengthen its position among the one-stop shopping key players. 

Walmart continues its superhero streak and courting comic book fans onto its website via social media — this time the superhero in question is Marvel’s billionaire badboy and Iron Man alter ego Tony Stark. 

The discount retailer posted a photo of Iron Man 3 to its Facebook page Monday, April 29, emblazoned with a burst bearing the Walmart logo and urging fans to ‘Preorder Now,’ even though the film did not release in theaters until Friday, May 3.