Marketing Tactics

Chicago – One-in-two marketers report that fragmented technologies impede their ability to create a consistent experience for consumers across the Web, mobile and other channels. According to a survey of 281 marketers in 16 countries released by cross-channel technology provider Signal, 90% of marketers believe that connecting the disparate tools in their company's marketing technology stack would improve their ability to innovate, personalize consumer interactions, send timely messages, boost loyalty, evaluate campaigns, and increase return on marketing investments.

By John Bajorek, WD Partners

The only reason for time, Albert Einstein once observed, is so that everything doesn’t happen at once. While it still holds true for the rest of life, shopping is another story.

Canton, Mass. – Dunkin’ Donuts is recruiting franchisees in Minnesota with an emphasis on Minneapolis and Mankato. Seven freestanding Dunkin' Donuts locations are planned to open during the next several years in the greater Duluth area.

To help fuel growth in Minnesota, special development incentives are available, which include reduced royalty fees for three years and up to $10,000 in local store marketing for stores that meet certain goals.

Aliso Viejo, Calif. – Johnny Rockets has signed a development agreement with The Daher Group, to open Bolivia's first Johnny Rockets restaurant in Santa Cruz's Ventura Mall, the largest shopping center and first modern mall in the country. Johnny Rockets will join Ventura Mall's Gastronomic Boulevard, a central location in the modern mall designed for restaurants, coffee shops and snacks.  

London - Shopitize, a U.K.-based provider of mobile, interactive shopping intelligence, is using Tableau's visual analytics to provide actionable insight into consumers' brand-specific shopping baskets. Shopitize is providing brand partners with access to real-time retail intelligence.

Skincare brand Olay has selected actress Katie Holmes as its first global brand ambassador. Holmes will represent the Olay global brand campaign “Your Best Beautiful.”

“I’m very excited to be the Olay Global Brand Ambassador,” said Holmes. “Olay is a brand I respect, trust and believe in. I love the products and message to women to never settle and put their best face forward, every day.”

In anticipation of the holiday shopping season, Amazon has introduced #AmazonWishList, which allows customers to add items to their Amazon Wish List without leaving Twitter.

Customers who find Tweets with an Amazon.com product links will be able to add those products to their Amazon Wish List by replying on Twitter with #AmazonWishList.

Kroger is a member of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Million Dollar Club for the second consecutive year. The company was inducted in the $250 to $500 million annual expenditure category.

Hasbro has entered into a strategic merchandising relationship with Disney Consumer Products for the Disney Princess and Frozen properties. The agreement gives Hasbro global rights (excluding Japan) to develop dolls based on Disney Princess stories and characters including Cinderella, Beauty and The Beast, The Little Mermaid and Frozen beginning in 2016.

According to Deloitte’s annual retail holiday sales forecast, steadily improving economic fundamentals should moderately boost holiday sales in stores and online this year.