News

Aaron Brothers has launched its new prototype, opening a store in West Hollywood, Calif. (and another in Woodland Hills). The new format, designed Chute Gerdeman, Columbus, Ohio, is hip, urban and creative, providing an experience that inspires artistic expression. The ambiance is that of an urban artist’s loft, with polished concrete floors, fixtures on industrial-style wheels and hand-hewn qualities.

The Saatchi & Saatchi X division of the Publicis Groupe named three new executives focused on digital media.

Springdale, AR.-based Saatchi & Saatchi X said it hired Alan Segal as digital creative director, Brandon Viveiros as digital production director and Chance Chapman as senior digital strategist.

Minneapolis -- Investment firm Joh. A. Benckiser Group agreed to acquire Caribou Coffee Co. for approximately $340 million.

Caribou will continue to be based in Minneapolis and operate under its own brand and management, the companies said in a statement. As of September 30, 2012, the company had 610 coffeehouses, including 202 franchised locations, in 22 states, the District of Columbia and 10 international markets.

Anxiety over Amazon.com is at an all time high this holiday season and a top executive at Nordstrom shared insights recently on competing successfully.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — Target is teaming up with the United Way for the 22nd consecutive year to bring families in need some holiday cheer.

Target stores across the country will donate more than $200,000 worth of holiday trees to the charitable organization, as part of the Target Share-a-Tree Program. The United Way and its volunteers will distribute the trees to families in need, shelters, community centers and childcare programs.

TORONTO — Sears held a National Great Day event Saturday, December 15, at stores across Canada to help generate customer traffic and reward shoppers.

Chicago -- E-commerce and digital marketing company Acquity Group announced Monday social media findings that revealed the vast majority of retailers don’t respond to customer tweets.
 
The 2012 Brand eCommerce Audit evaluated Interbrand's 2012 Best Retail Brands on customer engagement across major digital channels, including big browser, social and mobile.
 

Purchase, N.Y. -- A SpendingPulse report released Monday by MasterCard Advisors found that after a three-week recovery of retail spending growth that started two weeks after Superstorm Sandy and lasted through the week ending Dec. 1, a slowdown occurred in the week ending Dec. 8.  

After a surge in growth in late November some key sectors such as Specialty Apparel slipped into negative growth in early December, according to the report.