Marketing Tactics

Irving, Texas – The Michaels Companies Inc. has launched online arts and crafts classes taught by instructors and industry experts through an exclusive partnership with Creativebug, a subscription-based provider of online DIY instruction. Accessible anytime, anywhere, the video classes provide the novice crafter with basic techniques, such as beginning calligraphy and paper crafting, while also teaching more advanced skills and projects.

New York -- Dolce & Gabbana will open a flagship store in the 15,000-sq.-ft. 155 Mercer Street building in the SoHo area of New York City.

Thor Equities leased the entire building to the Italian luxury fashion house, which plans to re-create the original brownstone façade.

Originally built in 1855 as Firemen’s Hall, the historical property was most recently home to dance performance venue the Joyce Theater. The four-level building includes 50 ft. of frontage on Mercer Street.
 

Lakewood, Colo. -- Colorado Mills will add IT’SUGAR this March and Buckle during this fall to its current mix of more than 200 stores. These new retailers follow openings by Calvin Klein, Michael Kors Outlet and Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen.

IT’SUGAR will be located in Neighborhood 4 near American Eagle Outfitters Factory Store. Buckle is also coming to Neighborhood 4.

Michaels is hoping to turn wanna-be crafters into bonafide artists with its new digital education partnership.

The arts and crafts retailer has joined with craft instruction website Creativebug to offer online arts and crafts classes taught by top instructors and industry experts through an exclusive partnership with Michaels.

The new owner of Shoes.com is not wasting any time in its quest to compete in a market dominated by Amazon and Foot Locker.

Shoeme, the parent company of OnlineShoes.com and Shoeme.ca, has formally re-launched Shoes.com after buying the website in December with a refreshed design and expanded product offering, now with more than 450 brands.

Despite its frumpy name, Dressbarn is turning out to be quite the digital innovator in the apparel category after launching an omnichannel offering called Dressbar.

The Dressbar pop-up shop within Dressbarn stores and on dressbarn.com will feature digital components and dresses that have "a story." Dressbarn says it believes that every dress has a story, and the store will honor its heritage while creating a compelling destination for new dress stories to begin.

Target is trying to increase its appeal with Hispanic shoppers by launching a new marketing campaign focusing on customs that are unique to many Latino communities.

The campaign, called “Sin traduccion,” or “No translation,” will feature two television ads, as well as digital and in-store components.

According to Ad Age, the campaign is meant to be a celebration of moments, traditions and emotions that are treasured by many in the Hispanic culture and spark a larger conversation with the community.

Retailers often use in-store beacons to push promotions to customer mobile phones as they pass by. But video game retailer GameStop Corp., which operates more than 4,200 U.S. stores, takes a different approach.

“In the store, we have multiple pieces signage marking the location of beacons,” said Charlie Larkin, senior director of GameStop Technology Institute, the retailer’s in-house IT development center. “There are seven to 14 beacons across different zones of the store, depending on store size.”

Los Angeles - StepsAway is expanding the footprint of its mobile in-store deal app with Starwood Retail Partners. The agreement will expand StepsAway’s multi-state footprint, bringing its mobile retail solution to 10 Starwood properties across the US.

Oak Brook, Ill. – Ace Hardware is trying to make the bleary month of March as colorful as possible for consumers. Ace has launched 31 Days of Color, a month-long omnichannel consumer program featuring daily paint color selections alongside expert design advice and daily giveaways, as well as a nationwide paint makeover sweepstakes.

Every day in March, Ace is unveiling a "Color of the Day" selected from Ace's Clark+Kensington and Valspar paint lines. In addition, Ace’s design experts are providing daily color and design tips.