Marketing Tactics

SAN DIEGO — Genius Brands International has named Sunscape Eyewear as an eyewear licensee for its Baby Genius brand.

The two-year agreement grants Sunscape rights to manufacture and distribute worldwide Baby Genius-themed eyewear for boys and girls ages 0 to 4 years featuring Baby Genius characters. Product categories include sunglasses, eyewear and eyewear accessories such as croakies and cases.

MINNEAPOLIS — Food distribution company Nash Finch has named Gary Spinazze as chair of the NFC Foundation for a two-year term. The NFC Foundation is the charitable giving arm of Nash Finch. Board member Paula Docken, business analyst, chair of the community outreach committee was named as chair elect.

Carmel, Ind. -- Indianapolis-based Kite Realty Group said that Earth Fare will open a 25,000-sq.-ft. store at Rangeline Crossing, formally known as The Centre and located in Carmel, Ind.

Now under redevelopment, the 83,533-sq.-ft. Rangeline Crossing is owned by KRG Centre.

Launching new products is difficult in the best of times, but winners of the 2012 Nielsen Breakthrough Innovation Award found ways to succeed during one the worst recessions in a generation.

Nielsen announced recipients of the awards at its annual Consumer 360 event in Hollywood, Fla., this week after analyzing more than 11,000 new products in the United States between 2008 and 2010. Of the products evaluated, only 34 met award criteria. These products comprise less than 0.5% of all new product introductions during the period.

Woodbridge, Va. -- Island-inspired restaurateur Bahama Breeze will make its Virginia debut with a freestanding location at Potomac Mills, the largest outlet and value retail shopping destination in Virginia.

The new location will be adjacent to The Cheesecake Factory and a first-in-market Bobby’s Burger Palace opening this November in a new plaza to be developed on the south side of Potomac Mills.

New York -- A study released Wednesday by Deloitte found that smartphones – which already influence 5.1% of all retail store sales in the United States – are expected to impact 19% of total store sales, amounting to $689 billion, by 2016.

WAYNE, N.J. — Toys"R"Us has enhanced its loyalty program with the launch of an all-new integrated, point-based system that delivers streamlined benefits for members, as well as new and existing "R"Uscredit card holders.

Dallas -- Gift card and incentive card provider CardLab said Wednesday that The Original Pancake House will use GiftCardLab.com and IncentiveCardLab.com to better reach consumers.

The restaurant chain will place its gift cards on the Gift and Incentive CardLab websites to help increase local and regional impact.

“We are strong believers in the value of gift card sales, and have searched for the best opportunities to facilitate that,” said Mark Davis Bailey of The Original Pancake House.