Visionary Vehicles’ ‘Auto Show’ Plans Dealerships of The Future
Visionary Vehicles, a U.S.-based international automobile company that will sell Chinese-made cars manufactured by Chery Automobile Company of China, has unveiled its plans for creating a Visionary Vehicles dealership in the U.S. featuring a revolutionary new design and consumer-friendly environment.
Housing a spacious gallery-like showroom and an on-premise half-mile test track, all of Visionary Vehicles 250 dealer facilities will re-create an “Auto Show” experience for the consumer. Consumers will be able to see, test drive, and learn about Visionary’s line of cars and trucks in an auto show-like environment.
“The Visionary Vehicles Auto Show will be a central component in the positioning of our brand,” said Paul Lambert, Visionary Vehicle’s President of North American Marketing. “We are redefining the price of luxury in this dynamic product line-up and at the same time creating a new, fun, smart, and entertaining buying experience for the consumer.”
The Visionary Vehicles Auto Show will include the following features: a multi-story main building 150' x 150' x 35' high with 22,500 sq. ft. of space; outdoor video screens 100' long by 35' high; a multi-store service building; gallery style showroom with 12,000-15,000 sq. ft. of vehicle display space; a one-half mile on-premises test track; complimentary car wash and a supervised nursery providing child care.
Nintendo World Store To Open In NYC
The new Nintendo World Store in New York City’s Rockefeller Center will be a two-story mega-complex showcasing the best of Nintendo. Nintendo World will also be the new home of Pokemon Center, which will feature exclusive Pokemon merchandise and host special Pokemon events.
The Nintendo World Store will be a place where interactive entertainment fans can check out the best new and unreleased games for Nintendo DS, Nintendo GameCube, and Game Boy Advance SP at high-end sampling bars and interactive stations.
MSN Teams With Sprite For Online Music Marketing
MSN and Sprite have joined forces to launch The Scenario, an exclusive, branded, online entertainment experience designed for teens. The Scenario is a unique place on the Web where teens can experience the hottest hip-hop DJs, connect with each other through MSN Messenger and connect with the Sprite brand.
“We collaborated with MSN to develop The Scenario because it offered innovative ways to integrate Sprite into the MSN Music service,” said Geoff Cottrill, Group Director of Entertainment Marketing at Coca-Cola NA. “Working closely with MSN and its Branded Entertainment and Experiences Team, we have created an experience that embraces the passion that teens have for music and to bring Sprite to the millions who visit MSN every day.”
“The Scenario is an entirely new way of connecting with teens where they live on MSN, in MSN Messenger and on MSN Music,” said Gayle Troberman, Director of the Branded Entertainment and Experiences Team. “We expect to help make Sprite a part of the teen consumer’s digital experience every day.”
The campaign will employ cross-network promotions and advertising to draw audiences to the site.
New Flagship Virgin Megastore Opens In Hollywood
Virgin Entertainment Group will open a new flagship Virgin Megastore this fall in the heart of the world’s entertainment capital, Hollywood, CA. The Virgin Megastore, Hollywood, will be the first full-scale, pop-culture entertainment store ever to open on Hollywood Boulevard and be a key anchor tenant at Hollywood & Highland’s prestigious location. Already known for its selection of music, film, books, and games, the new flagship Megastore will also offer the best of today’s electronics, apparel, and pop culture related merchandise.
The Virgin Megastore, Hollywood will represent the continued evolution of the Virgin Megastore retail concept. The store environment will be experiential, and will feature innovative product presentation techniques and multiple ways to sample new media.
Stop & Shop Launches Staples Branded School & Home Office Supplies Sections
Stop & Shop Supermarkets and Giant Food stores will collaborate on a Staples branded store-within-a-store section.Grocery shoppers will have the convenience of buying a wider range of supplies in all 550 of Stop & Shop supermarkets and Giant Food stores.
The Staples branded area will typically range between 40' to 80' and feature 500 to 1,200 school and home office essentials, some of them available in supermarkets for the first time, in consumer-sized packs.
“This is a great way for us to bring added convenience to our customers,” said Marc Smith, CEO, Stop & Shop & Giant Landover.
“We are making it easy for consumers to purchase school and home office supplies while doing their weekly grocery shopping,” said Rob Sargent, Staples CEO. “Additionally, Stop and Shop enables us to reach a consumer segment that might not typically shop at Staples.”
CompUSA/Good Guys Stores To Open
CompUSA has announced plans to include combination CompUSA/Good Guys stores in California by converting 14 Good Guys retail locations and 3 current CompUSA locations. These new stores are designed to meet the increasingly diverse buying needs of customers by offering them a mix of both CompUSA and Good Guys merchandise.
“Product and technology convergence is continually increasing and customers are looking for answers,” said Larry Mondry, CompUSA CEO. “Our new combination unleashes the power of technology for our customers through a broader range of products, and unmatched expertise from our CompUSA and Good Guys' highly trained and technology-savvy staff.”
Putumayo ‘World Culture Center’ Launches At Whole Foods
Putumayo World Music, renowned for its catalog of more than 100 thematic CDs featuring upbeat music from around the world, has unveiled its first World Culture Center at the Whole Foods Market flagship store in Austin, TX. Whole Foods Market will also be offering their first in-store Putumayo World Music channel to enable listeners to travel the world while they shop.
The World Culture Center at Whole Foods Market features a unique 12' long Putumayo World Culture bus, based on the colorful vehicles that traverse rural Colombia, featuring MP3 listening stations and a monitor showing music videos from the “Travel the World With Putumayo” DVD. Many CDs from the Putumayo catalog, multicultural activity kits and recently published lifestyle products including a new Putumayo World Culture Travel Journal will also be featured.
ConAgra Foods & Kroger Donate To ‘Families Feeding Families’ Program
ConAgra Foods has partnered with The Kroger Co. to give $750,000 for hunger relief through the “Families Feeding Families” program conducted by America’s Second Harvest Food Banks.
The Families Feeding Families program will aid America’s Second Harvest’s network of hunger-relief groups as part of in-store promotions at Kroger locations for a variety of ConAgra Food brands. The promotion increases awareness on the issue of hunger via in-store radio and point-of-purchase signage. This program will feed tens of thousands of people served by America’s Second Harvest food banks and food-rescue organizations.
Borders Books & Music Stores To Feature Seattle's Best Coffee Cafes
Over the next few years, more than 400 existing Borders cafes across the nation will be converted to Seattle’s Best Coffee cafes and will also be featured in new Borders stores as they open across the country.
“Enjoying a smooth cup of coffee while shopping at Borders is a big part of our destination shopping experience and we’re pleased to give customers in Oregon the first opportunity to enjoy it,” said Greg Josefowicz, Borders Group CEO.
Said Jim Donald, CEO, Seattle’s Best Coffee, “The opening of these cafes with Borders stores represents a great first step in the growth of the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand at retail.”
Starbucks Hosts ‘Brewer Exchange Day’
Starbucks Coffee Co. recently made it easy for consumers to replace their old coffee makers with new machines designed to make the best cup of Starbucks Coffee with its first-ever Brewer Exchange Day.
The Brewer Exchange Day provided a unique opportunity for consumers to recycle their old home brewers, and in return, receive a special gift that can be used towards the purchase of a new Starbucks coffee maker, espresso machine or any merchandise sold in Starbucks stores.
During Brewer Exchange Day, customers had the opportunity to participate in brewing demonstrations with Starbucks Coffee masters. Customers were also able to test Starbucks line of all stainless steel brewers.
Recycle America Alliance accepted home brewers brought to the event location.
Blimpie Brand Repositioning Creates Ultimate ‘Blimpie Experience’
Blimpie International is reinvigorating the Blimpie brand with a refreshed logo, contemporary restaurant design, and an updated menu featuring panini-grilled Ciabatta bread sandwiches.
The redesigned restaurant interiors were created in collaboration with Atlanta, GA-based retail design firm Miller Zell. The upscale décor includes modern, earth-tone paint and tile, wainscoting, pendant lighting and hardwood laminate flooring. Curved architectural elements simulate the look and feel of the logo throughout the interior.
“The new restaurant design reflects our theme of Real. Fresh. Taste. and complements our branding efforts,” said Mark Mears, Chief Marketing Officer, Blimpie International.
Kellogg Launches Health Check Program
Kellogg and major food retailers Kroger, ShopRite, Publix, and Wal-Mart are launching the Kellogg’s Healthy Beginnings Health Check program. Consumers shopping at these stores will have the opportunity to participate in a free health screening that includes a cholesterol test, blood pressure check, and dietary fiber intake assessment. Shoppers can receive a free health kit containing health information and healthy food coupons.
Christine Lowry, Kellogg V.P., Nutrition, said, “We created this program so consumers not only can learn more about Kellogg’s Healthy Beginnings cereals, but also about health issues to which these products can contribute, including heart health, digestive health and weight management.”
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