Sales & Marketing

By Gary Glick, partner, Cox, Castle & Nicholson LLP

The Dr Pepper Snapple Group is looking to build on the success of last year’s introduction of Dr Pepper TEN by extending the low calorie franchise to its other leading brands.

Bentonville, Ark. — Walmart and Mother Nature Network are inviting people to use Twitter to express their green ideas for the chance to win a $100 Walmart gift card.

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation has been outspoken in its criticism of credit card fees and now a group called the Electronic Payments Coalition that represents credit unions,banks and payment card networks is firing back, claiming that the retail lobby is making false statements regarding checkout fees.

St. Louis -- Panera Bread Company announced that Roger C. Matthews, Jr., has been appointed Panera's EVP and CFO, effective March 18.

Matthews most recently served as managing director and sector head of the U.S. Restaurant Industry in Goldman Sachs' Investment Banking Division.

Pat Kelly, who has served as Panera's Interim CFO since April 2012, will remain in place until the end of March to ensure a smooth transition.

ARLINGTON, Va. -- The passage of comprehensive tax reform and a more level playing field between online retailers and Main Street retailers for sales tax collection top the Retail Industry Leaders Association’s public policy priorities for 2013.

According to RILA, the retail industry pays among the highest domestic effective tax rates at 36.4% more than 10 percentage points higher than the average for all other industries.

New York -- Banana Republic is partnering with Match.com to host in-store meet and greet events for the online dating site’s subscribers in key markets, including San Francisco, New York, and Chicago. The partnership is part of the retailer’s newly announced “Love” global marketing campaign.

To further engage consumers, Banana Republic will ask their Instagram and Twitter followers to share photos of hearts for a chance to be featured in a special Valentine's Day album posted on the brand’s Facebook page.


PITTSBURGH — American Eagle Outfitters has agreed to a mutual termination of its license agreement in China, Hong Kong and surrounding markets with Dickson Concepts (International) Limited. Consistent with its long-term global expansion strategy and the importance of this market, the company took the opportunity to exit its agreement and will assume operation of six existing stores in China and Hong Kong.