Marketing Tactics

Connexity picks up PriceGrabber
Los Angeles - Marketing services company Connexity Inc. has acquired the PriceGrabber retail lead generation platform and network. The company will provide shopping leads that result in more than $2 billion in annual sales for retailers and brands.

PriceGrabber's shopping-focused publisher network offers more than 2,000 retailers marketing access to tens of millions of shoppers each month from online shopping destinations such as Yahoo!, Ask.com and PriceGrabber.com. Retailers will manage a single lead channel.
Coca-Cola to give $1 for every video share of Olympic song
Coca-Cola wants U.S. consumers to “Reach Up” to support the 2015 Special Olympics in Los Angeles.

The company has assembled a star-studded team to record a song for the games called “Reach Up,” which will be featured on Coke's social media channels. The song features rock band O.A.R., recording artist Cody Simpson, Breanna Bogucki, a singer and decorated Special Olympics athlete from Illinois who has Autism, and Madison Tevlin, a young Canadian woman with Down syndrome who became a viral sensation earlier this year.

Dr Pepper celebrates Hispanic youth culture

Dr Pepper is targeting Hispanic millennials through a creative marketing partnership with the 2015 Premios Juventud VIP Tour.

The PJ VIP Tour, which paves the way to the 2015 Premios Juventud Awards Show airing on the Univision Network on July 16, will make stops in Miami, Los Angeles, San Jose, Houston, and will finish in Chicago and give Dr Pepper a special opportunity to tap into the Latino youth market.
Music festival cool coming to the mall

Simon Property Group is giving shoppers a reason to come to that mall that doesn’t involve shopping.

The company is teaming up with Refinery29 to transform mall shopping into a summer festival experience with fashion "stages," beauty bars, and live musical performances. Style Festival takes inspiration from the music festival culture that has become a millennial rite of passage.
Macy's touts appointment service for Father's Day

Just ahead of Dad’s big day on Sunday, Macy’s is promoting its Father’s Day offerings by encouraging shoppers to use its appointment service to find the perfect gift for Dad.
A whole new way to experience chocolate

Retailers looking for ways to enhance the customer experience could learn from a new attraction at Hershey’s Chocolate World.

This summer, guests at Hershey’s Chocolate World will be treated to a delicious new Chocolate Tasting Experience, find their favorites in Hershey’s Largest Candy Store and mix their favorites at the new Amazing Candy Machine.

In the new Chocolate Tasting Experience, guests can immerse themselves in the flavorful world of chocolate tasting.
Kmart taps DSW executive as marketing chief

Hoffman Estates, Ill. – Kmart is shaking up its marketing operation with moves including the recent appointment of former DSW Chief Marketing Officer Kelly N. Cook as its chief marketing officer. There was never a formal announcement, but Cook’s LinkedIn profile indicates that she joined Kmart in that position in April.
Tech Bytes: 3 insights on Facebook’s expansion of Place Tips

The nationwide expansion of the Facebook Place Tips in-store mobile promotion service, complete with free proprietary Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons, was interesting news. Here are three implications of Facebook’s latest effort to serve as a commercial platform:
CBX taps Anthony Deen as creative director, branded environments

NEW YORK — Veteran retail, hospitality, airport and commercial facilities architect and designer Anthony Deen has joined brand agency and retail design consultancy CBX as creative director, branded environments.

In his position, Deen will partner with senior management in shaping the vision for retail, restaurant and hospitality clients’ branded environments that are relevant in the marketplace.

Deen comes to CBX from Landor, a brand consulting and design firm in New York City, where he was creative director, environment design since 2011.
Pepsi pops open summer marketing campaign

Retailers with Pepsi on their shelves will be happy to know that the brand is putting out all the stops to entice shoppers to make Pepsi products part of their summer.

The beverage company is embarking on a summer marketing campaign that promises to deliver one-of-a-kind fan experiences to some of the hottest music and sporting events, restaurants and travel destinations.
Leadership liquidation continues at Lumber Liquidators

Lumber Liquidators former chief merchandising officer William Schlegel is the latest casualty of an ongoing management overhaul by company founder and Chairman Tom Sullivan that also claimed the jobs of the CEO and CFO.

Sullivan continues to clean house at the company he founded 20 years ago after a damning report by 60 Minutes raised concerns about the company’s product sourcing practices and allegations of circumventing federal laws.
Unilever launches Chinese e-commerce site

As more brands evolve to a direct-to-consumer model, Unilever is expanding its direct selling to China by launching a flagship store on JD.com.

The Unilever flagship store on JD Worldwide, which is JD.com's cross-border e-commerce platform, will feature products from a range of Unilever’s most popular global brands such as Ponds, Dove and Vaseline. Notably, the flagship store will make available three product lines from Lux's shampoo range, which are currently the best-selling shampoo products in the Japanese market.