Marketing Tactics

NEW YORK — Macy’s has launched a new apparel collection inspired by, and named for, Hollywood legend Marilyn Monroe. The collection, created by LF USA and Authentic Brands Group, will infuse the actress unrivaled personality and retro styling into flirty and fun garments for the fashion-forward girl.

Amazon lead the pack in the retail field on Fortune’s “Most Admired Companies” list. The e-commerce juggernaut was third ranked overall (behind Apple and Google) for, among other reasons, its efficient customer service and leadership under CEO Jeff Bezos.

Nordstrom captured the number 16 spot for generating buzz for its first full-line retail store in Manhattan, well before its planned open date in 2018 and for its successful clearance brand, Nordstrom Rack.

A Walmart Neighborhood Market store in Springfield, Mo., was ground zero Thursday as the retailer showcased efforts to make food healthier and more affordable to First Lady Michelle Obama.

Three years ago, the First Lady created the Let’s Move healthy food initiative and the following year Walmart unveiled five broad commitments that aligned with her vision for ending childhood obesity within a generation.

Austin, Texas -- Schlotzsky's has signed the brand's largest franchise agreement in more than 40 years, entering into a partnership that calls for more than 170 Schlotzsky's locations throughout California. The company, which currently has more than 350 locations worldwide, plans to have upwards of 700 locations by 2016.
   
Each of the new restaurants will feature a new, contemporary design and an upgraded service model in which crew members hand-deliver food to the tables.

ROCHESTER, New York — Crosman Corp., an international designer, manufacturer, and marketer of a wide range of products for the shooting sports, has announced the appointment of Jennifer Lambert as VP marketing. In her new position, Lambert will oversee the company’s strategic marketing efforts, with an emphasis on accelerating new product development.

Fouth quarter same store sales fell by a jaw-dropping 31.7% at J.C. Penney, but CEO Ron Johnson insisted the company continues to make great strides with its one year old transformation strategy.

The company report an adjusted net loss for the quarter of $427 million, or $1.95 a share and a full year adjusted net loss of $766 million or $3.49 a share.

Whiting, Ind. -- Research released Wednesday by CouponCabin.com showed that more than half of U.S. adults’ online shopping habits won’t be impacted by rising shipping costs.

According to the survey, conducted by Harris Interactive for CouponCabin.com, 51% of those polled said they are neither more or less likely to shop online, even with potentially increasing shipping costs. An additional 7% said they are more likely to shop online.

Waban, Mass. -- Survey results released Wednesday by Temkin Group revealed that Publix and Trader Joe’s ranked the highest among 246 companies in terms of customer experience.

The 2013 Temkin Experience Ratings, which polled 10,000 U.S. consumers, were dominated by grocery chains and food purveyors. After Public and Trader Joe’s was Aldi, and rounding out the top 12 were Chick-fil-A, Amazon.com, Sam's Club, H.E.B., Dunkin' Donuts, Save-a-Lot, Sonic Drive-In, Little Caeser's and Ace Hardware.

New York -- A new report by Experian Marketing Services finds that several key retail trends will impact how marketers shape their messages in 2013.

According to the 2013 Digital Marketer Report, consumers today are multi-device and multichannel shoppers, forcing digital marketers to adapt and evolve their message to reach consumers across channels and all along the path to purchase.  

Minneapolis -- Target Corp. reported Wednesday a profit of $961 million for the fourth quarter, down from $981 million in the year-ago period. The profit slip reflected expenses related to its Canadian market entry along with a spending slowdown during the holiday sales period. It was Target's weakest holiday season performance since 2008. But its adjusted results beat analysts' estimates and it forecast first-quarter earnings above Wall Street's view.