Marketing Tactics

LOS ANGELES — Ikea has been named "best small space solution" by The Intelligence Group, a consumer insights firm, publisher of the Cassandra Report, which highlights youth trends and behavior.

Ikea was one of the winners of the group's first Cass Awards, which were awarded to companies and brands that best reached Generation Y through their marketing efforts last year.

Palo Alto, Calif. -- The shopping app Shopkick on Wednesday announced that Nielsen ranked Shopkick No. 34 out of approximately 1 million apps in December 2012. While still trailing giants like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter overall, Shopkick dominated the shopping category during the holiday season, with more frequent and prolonged usage than all physical retailers' own apps including Starbucks, Walmart, Walgreens, Kroger and Safeway, the app developer noted.

BURBANK, Calif. — Warner Bros. Consumer Products announced that Jazwares, USAopoly and Mattel are among the toy companies it has partnered with to create new products in honor of the 75th Anniversary of "The Wizard of Oz" in 2014.

Atlanta -- A report released Tuesday by First Data Corp. found that dollar volume growth rebounded in January, improving to 6.2% versus 4% in December despite the payroll tax increase.

The First Data SpendTrend report, which tracks same-store consumer spending by credit, signature debit, PIN debit, EBT, closed-loop prepaid cards and checks at U.S. merchant locations, found that improved retail spending was a large contributor to the January growth.   

NEW YORK — With Toy Fair happening now in New York City, the Toy Industry Association has revealed what it believes are the top toy trends for 2013. 

WAYNE, N.J. -- Toys"R"Us announced that it will be the first retailer in the United States to offer Fisher-Price's Octonauts toys.

In celebration of Random Acts of Kindness Day on Sunday, Feb. 17, Michaels hopes to inspire customers to participate by giving away more than $100,000 in gift cards at its nearly 1,100 U.S. and Canada stores.  

Chicago -- A new Symphony Consulting survey found that the new 2% increase in payroll tax is causing a major shopping behavioral change among lower-income families.

A division of SymphonyIRI Group, Symphony Consulting revealed Monday that dollar stores may be the biggest winners in the battle for the lower-income spenders’ purchasing power.