Marketing Tactics

Publix is celebrating its 85th anniversary this year with an annual day of service in which more than 4,000 of its employees will participate in service projects.

Publix employees across the company’s six operating states will be volunteering with more than 125 nonprofits whose focus is on youth, education or the plight of the hungry and homeless.

Foot Locker introduced its first smartphone mobile app and a new series of “Shoemoji” emoticons that enable a new type of communication among smartphone users.

New York - Target Corp. on Thursday opened a pop-up shop at Bryant Park in mid-t0wn Manhattan selling what many experts say will be one of its most popular designer collaborations to date:  A 250-piece Lilly Pulitzer for Target collection. According to reports, 500 to 600 people were waiting in line at 8 a.m. when the temporary store opened.

Canton, Mass. – Dunkin’ Donuts has signed a multi-unit store development agreement with new franchise group Legacy Concepts LLC to develop 10 new restaurants in Minneapolis and the surrounding areas of Bloomington, Edina, Eden Prairie and the communities west of the metro area. The first restaurant is planned to open by the end of 2015.

New York – Digital purchasing has not displaced paper money, and digital discounts have apparently not yet displaced paper coupons. Seventy percent of consumer packaged goods coupon users still use print-based coupons such as those in free standing inserts (FSI), according to a study from GfK Custom Research and News America Marketing. 

City of Commerce, Calif. – 99 Cents Only Stores Inc. shrank its net loss to $2.3 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, compared to net loss of $14.7 million for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014.  Net loss decreased primarily due to a previously disclosed workers' compensation charge in the previous fourth quarter.
  Net sales slightly rose 1% to $512.6 million from $505.7 million. Same-store sales climbed 2.8%. 
 

Physical expansion remains the primary growth driver of many a U.S. retailer, but the likes of Alibaba and rival JD.com are allowing U.S. retailers and brands to tap the Chinese market without the aggravation and financial uncertainty associated with establishing a physical presence.

A record number of openings in 2014 pushed 99 Cents Only close to the 400 unit mark, but the rapid pace of expansion did not translate to profitability during what the company called a transformative year.

When the Special Olympics get underway in late July in Los Angeles, a major awareness effort and hefty donation from Toys “R” Us will make a powerful contribution.

The retailer spent the past two months executing a broad-based campaign in stores and online to benefit the Special Olympics, which raised more than $4 million as well as awareness of an event in which roughly 7,000 athletes will participate.

An inventory build at Lowe’s in preparation for the launch of a new HGTV Home brand of paint was cited as the source of strong sales growth by paint supplier Sherwin Williams.

Spring is a popular time for painting and home improvement retailers typically promote the category extensively. Lowe’s looks to be ready for the season with a new brand launching called HGTV Home by Sherwin Williams.