Marketing Tactics

Starbucks’ Howard Schultz makes guest appearance — at Target HQ
Starbucks founder and CEO Howard Schultz recently touched down at Target Corp. headquarters in Minneapolis as part of Target’s series of “innovation speakers.” “With Starbucks, I dreamed of building a national brand and different kind of company, achieving balance between profit and conscience, bringing people along on the journey, and impacting the communities we serve,” Schultz said. “The kind of company my parents never got the chance to work for.
Pier 1 profit, sales down in Q4; looks to regain footing in 2016
Promotions, markdowns and supply chain issues took a toll on Pier in the fourth quarter as the retailer lower profits on declining sales. But the results were better than earlier projections and executives expressed confidence in the chain’s turnaround efforts.

Pier 1’s sales declined 1.4% to $542.3 million in the quarter ended Feb. 27; same store sales fell 0.6%. Net income was $18.7 million, down from $33.1 million in the year-ago period.

Top executives join A&M retail roster

Senior executives from Tuesday Morning, Bridgestone and PetSmart are among those headlining a retail conference organized by the Center for Retailing Studies at Texas A&M University’s Mays Business School.
Report: Kohl’s chief marketer resigns

A shakeup in the executive ranks is reportedly occurring at Kohl’s.

According to AdAge, Will Setliff, executive VP of marketing at the department store chain, is resigning his position the week of April 11. There has been no press release from Kohl’s or Setliff and surprisingly little coverage of his career shift outside of AdAge.
Simon finds new way to drive mall traffic

Simon Property Group is adding an unconventional experiential component to its Opry Mills mall in Nashville that should add even more traffic to the already popular shopping and entertainment destination.
Kohl’s expands caring initiative with new merchandise

The more than $300 million that Kohl’s has raised through an innovative cause merchandising program is set to go even higher as the retail offer a new product lineup through the end of June.

Kohl’s introduced a new line of Kohl’s Care products including books and plush characters priced at $5 where 100% of the net profit from the products goes to benefit children’s health initiatives nationwide.
Macy’s marketing chief is moving on

Martine Reardon, Macy's chief marketing officer, has decided to leave the company, effective May 13, after 32 years of service.

Reardon did not specify her exact reason for leaving, but in a statement implied she will be taking some time away from her professional career.
Abercrombie & Fitch names J.Crew exec new head of marketing

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has named Ashley Sargent Price as senior VP and creative director of marketing.

In this role, Price will oversee creative marketing for all brands (Abercrombie & Fitch, abercrombie kids, and Hollister Co.), the company`s internal photo studio, and marketing operations. She reports to Fran Horowitz, president & chief merchandising officer.
JCPenney aims new private brand, store concept at plus-size millennial women

Hot on the heels of its launch of a private label collection aimed at millennial women, The J.C. Penney Co. is now introducing a brand and store section designed for a subset of that market.

JCPenney is debuting Boutique+, a plus-size fashion brand designed for full-figured millennial women. Boutique+ will be available at 500 stores and online May 1.
Warby Parker builds brick foundation

Specialty eyewear retailer Warby Parker is increasingly moving away from its roots as a pure-play e-commerce operation. In an interview with Re/Code, co-CEOs Dave Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal discuss how traditional channels like brick-and-mortar, as well as emerging channels like virtual reality, play a role in the company’s continuing evolution. [Re/Code]
Target vets create new consultancy

Conlego is the name of a new consulting practice established by several former Target executives who hope to leverage their experience to help companies create value through negotiations, partnership and corporate social responsibility.

The name Conlego means “unifying people for a common purpose,” according to the pair of former Target executives who founded the firm on the premise that more value can be created by finding collaborative ways of working together on solving the business and social challenges every organizations faces.
Study: America’s favorite grocer is…

U.S. consumers have named their top grocery chain, and for the first time in four years it isn’t Trader Joe’s.

Findings from an online study of more than 10,000 consumers conducted in February 2016 by Market Force Information revealed that Wegmans is America’s favorite grocery retailer. Wegmans was followed by Publix Super Markets and Trader Joe’s.