Largest McDonald’s Debuts In NYC
The largest metropolitan McDonald’s in America has opened in New York’s tourism and entertainment district, Broadway and 42nd Street. The new 17,500-sq. ft. McDonald’s features a full length theatre marquee with 7,500 light bulbs, 18 42-inch plasma screens and 27 15-inch monitors to entertain customers. Interior designer Charles Morris Mount created a “backstage” ambiance for the restaurant’s décor by exposing the building’s original brickwork and using theatrical lighting fixtures.
Irwin Kruger, owner/operator of the restaurant, said, “The restaurant is designed to be a natural fit with our famous Broadway neighbors, both in its architectural design and in the fun and excitement we’ll provide.”
Special features of the new Broadway-style McDonald’s restaurant include: Nostalgic McDonald’s and Coca-Cola commercials and footage from various Disney Broadway productions and upcoming movies shown on the plasma screens and monitors throughout the restaurant; a Belshaw mini-donut machine in the front window that makes 2,500 mini donuts per hour; and specialty coffee and frozen drinks served at a separate McDonald’s café counter located inside the restaurant.
7-Eleven And South Beach Beverage Develop SoBe Gum
7-Eleven, South Beach Beverage Co. and Lotte U.S.A., have developed SoBe energy gum. The liquid-infused gum is available in three flavors: Energy, Power and Liz Blizz.
Derek Schmitt, Category Manager of confectionery, gum and mints for 7-Eleven, said, “We know our customers are SoBe fans, so it made sense to capitalize on that popularity across categories.”
The new SoBe Gum is an example of how a retailer and a manufacturer can work together to develop a new product idea that benefits both. Renee Coughlin, SoBe’s Sr. V.P., Marketing, said, “The new SoBe Gum extends SoBe’s reputation as an innovator in the functional food and beverage category, and it’s a perfect fit with 7-Eleven’s goal to have the most innovative, unique, top-quality products in the market available exclusively to its consumers.”
This is the first licensed product for the SoBe brand, and the company brings a unique attitude and functionality to the gum category. 7-Eleven had product exclusivity up until recently at 5,300 U.S. stores.
Wal-Mart Announces 24 Hour Roadside Assistance Program
Wal-Mart is featuring TracFone Wireless' 24-hour roadside assistance program at nearly 2,600 of its stores and Supercenters nationwide. The program, which covers up to five family members throughout North America for $49.74 a year, includes towing up to 30 miles, battery jump-starts, fuel delivery, vehicle lock-outs and accident/collision assistance.
“By offering roadside assistance memberships in a simple and widely available off-the-shelf format, we’re helping our customers enjoy a higher level of travel security at a very affordable price,” said Ken Reese, Director of Operations for Wal-Mart’s Tire and Lube Express.
Federated Launches ‘Reinvent’ Strategy
Federated Department Stores has launched a “reinvent the department store” strategy. The company is retrofitting 34 of its existing stores with elements such as enhanced fitting rooms, high visibility directional signage, price-check devices, comfortable lounge areas, in-store computer kiosks, revamped juniors and young men's departments, shopping carts and innovative merchandising presentations. The stores with the reinvent strategy will feature the latest technology and conveniences including in-store computer internet kiosks that allow customers to check e-mail and local entertainment venues, as well as an average of 30 price-check stations located throughout the store.
Terry Lundgren, Federated’s President, said, “We are continuously listening to the needs of our customers and then directing our reinvent strategies to meet them. The results are seen in our rejuvenated department stores with an emphasis on distinctive presentation, ease of navigation, and greater convenience in the shopping experience.”
RadioShack Debuts New Prototype Store
RadioShack has unveiled its new prototype store concept in Fort Worth, TX. Leonard Roberts, CEO of RadioShack, said, “This store design supports our focus on anchor businesses and the growing digital product revolution and allows us to expand our product assortment.”
Customer flow has been redesigned around the sales counter located in the middle of the store. Store signage tells customers where merchandise is located. The bright color schemes remain, yet color palettes can be changed inexpensively through innovative wall systems. The new store prototype is larger than the typical Radio Shack, to allow for wider aisles.
Boost Mobile Targets Youth Market
Nextel Communications, in association with the founders of the Boost brand, is launching Boost Mobile, a lifestyle-based telecommunications brand that will exclusively target the youth market in the U.S.
Mobile games are an integral feature of the offering and Boost Mobile has already secured an agreement with international entertainment software publisher THQ Inc. The Motorola wireless phones in the launch will be preloaded with Tetris and World Wrestling Entertainment. Key to the Boost Mobile branding and awareness strategy is the sponsorship of action sports events and teams, television programs, festivals, concerts, and other youth-centric activities. Boost Mobile’s planned retail distribution channels will include convenience stores, as well as non-traditional outlets such as youth fashion retailers that focus on music, surf, skate and snow-related activities.
Levi’s Opens Flagship Store In San Francisco
The Levi’s brand has re-invented its 24,000 sq. ft., four-level San Francisco flagship store. “We have re-invented our flagship store to focus on what has made Levi's famous for the past 150 years-the best and most innovative jeans in the world,” said Diane Padoven, V.P., Levi’s Stores. “The new store combines innovative merchandising and fixture systems to provide consumers with the most user-friendly Levi’s jeans shopping experience worldwide."
The “Denim Gates” is an innovative fixture system that allows jeans to hang outward on bars that invite and entice customers to interact with the product. Designed to resemble a personal stage, dressing rooms are part of the store’s new flexible fixture design that provides customers with easy access to any product they want to see. The “Heritage Shop” has vintage Levi's products and reproductions from Levi's vintage clothing lining the walls of this shop. The “Red Gallery” showcases Levi’s RED Collection; jeanswear products that are based on a completely new idea grounded in Levi’s heritage.
ShopKo Launches Urbanology Concept Shop
ShopKo Stores are catering to fashion conscious Generation Y trendsetters with the new Urbanology shop focused on fashion accessories and home furnishings.
Urbanology offers fun and funky fashion accessories and room décor in a single shop. Tom Abbott, Shopko’s V.P., Accessories and Intimate Apparel, said, “Urbanology pulls together appropriate Gen Y products from throughout ShopKo’s departments and places them into a single destination shop.” Items include mini-purses and denim bags, bright-colored backpacks, colorful toe socks, fashion jewelry, slippers and sleepwear, glitter CD stands, neon wall clocks,and candles.
Fleet Opens Sales Centers In Staples Stores
Staples, Inc. and Fleet Boston Financial Corp., have launched an alliance bringing small business banking services to Staples stores in the Northeast. Each Fleet Small Business Zone, will feature two specially trained Fleet business sales representatives who will manage a freestanding, 150 square-foot sales center that will be open six or seven days a week.
The Fleet Small Business Zones will be available to open accounts and issue on-the-spot debit cards featuring 1% of purchases credited towards purchases at Staples.
KB Toys Opens Seasonal Store On Fifth Avenue In NYC
KB Toys is opening a full line super store on New York’s Fifth Avenue, remaining open only during the holiday season. The store will serve as a barometer for future growth potential in major metropolitan markets.
“KB Toys is taking advantage of a timely real estate opportunity to showcase our renewed emphasis on the customer in this landmark location, said Mark Scott, KB Toys Exec.V.P. “If our customers respond favorably to our presence here, we will explore opening similar permanent stores in New York and in other major markets.”
This giant KB Toys store will be unlike any traditional KB Toys mall store, occupying more than 20,000 sq. ft. of selling space, nearly six times larger than the average KB Toys store. In keeping with Fifth Avenue’s exciting shopping environment, KB Toys on Fifth will feature exciting attention-getting window displays, in-store shops and engaging product demonstrations.
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