Marketing Tactics

WASHINGTON — Walmart announced that, through its charitable arm the Walmart Foundation, it has launched a $25 million giving campaign aimed at filling the gaps created when schools close for the summer. Funding to more than 350 local nonprofit organizations will help expand nutrition, learning and employment services for elementary, middle and high school students throughout the 2011 summer months, the company reported.

Walmart said it would address the achievement gap between higher- and lower-income youth by focusing on three key areas:

Real estate acquisition and management firm Jamestown has announced a comprehensive rebranding and revitalization program for its recently acquired property, Alameda Towne Centre, a 594,000-sq.-ft. open-air retail center on Alameda Island, Calif.

By Glenn Brill, [email protected]

The recent announcement that Ron Johnson of Apple will become J. C. Penny’s new chief executive is a clear indication of the need for many retailers to revitalize the shopping experience. It is also a clarion call and symbolic of the challenge to mall owners, developers, and investors to create and/or revitalize shopping environments that can effectively complement and promote a retailer’s brand.

NASHVILLE, Tenn.  — Nashville Apparel Company announced that it is re-introducing its Duck Head brand to the retail market in time for the back-to-school season.

Originally founded in 1865 by Nashville-based O'Brien Brothers, Duck Head was popular in the 1980s and 90s.

In the June 9 edition of SiteTalk, we referenced a survey that found Fifth Avenue in Manhattan to be the most expensive place in the world to operate a store -- and asked you if it was worth the expense. Here is what one reader had to say.

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Safeway celebrated National Picnic Day on Monday by breaking the Guinness World Record for longest picnic table and debuting its new private-label brand.

The record-setting picnic, held at the Marina Green in San Francisco, featured Safeway's Open Nature, a newly launched line of all-natural foods that includes meat and poultry, bread, yogurt, ice cream and salad dressing products, that were prepared by Food Network chef Tyler Florence. Safeway also succeeded at building a table exceeding 305 ft.

STOCKHOLM — H&M announced that it is collaborating with Versace for its autumn 2011 designer collection. Designed by its creative director Donatella Versace, the exclusive collection will look back to the vibrant heritage of the brand, full of leather, print, colour and exuberance in exclusive materials at fantastic H&M prices, according to the company. The collection will include ranges for women, men and selected pieces for the home. It will be available from Nov. 17 in around 300 stores worldwide, as well as on-line.

NEW YORK — Macy's announced that its "Macy's Chefs A-Go-Go" food truck tour will kick off in Miami on June 28. The first-ever tour will feature a chef from Macy's Culinary Council at each stop. MCC chefs include Cat Cora, Todd English and Marcus Samuelsson.

CINCINNATI — Kroger has released its fifth annual sustainability report.

 Some of the highlights noted in the report include:

• Kroger stores reduced overall energy consumption by 30% since 2000. 

• Company-wide, including all facilities, Kroger has saved more than 2.2 billion kilowatt hours.

NEW YORK — Private-label sales across all three major retail channels reached new highs in 2010, according the Private Label Manufacturers Association.