JCPenney Launches X Games Apparel
J.C. Penney Co. has introduced X Games boys’ apparel, developed as a collection with ESPN. In most stores, consumers will find an integrated X Games lifestyle shop incorporating multiple product lines and headlined by a Moto X bike display. The launch product features special X Games “Gold Medal Guide” hang tags that provide customers with action sports tips.
“This is the biggest boys’ apparel brand launch ever at JCPenney,” said Steve Lawrence, General Merchandise Manager, Children’s Apparel at JCPenney. “The X Games brand gives us the perfect edge with boys looking for apparel that helps them express their individuality.”
“The X Games is the most recognizable action sport lifestyle brand with a devoted following among teen and tween boys,” said Steve Cipolla, V.P., ESPN Consumer Products. “Creating an apparel line that embodies this lifestyle is a natural extension of the brand.”
Coca-Cola Company Adopts HFC-Free Insulation In Refrigeration Units
The Coca-Cola Co. has completed the transition to HFC-Free insulation for new purchases of refrigerated sales and marketing equipment. “Studies show that HFC emissions will constitute an increasingly greater share of global warming pollutants in the future unless business takes action,” said Jeff Seabright, V.P., Environment & Water Resources, Coca-Cola Co.
Hydroflourocarbons (HFCs) are gases formerly used to produce the polyurethane insulation in many refrigerated appliances and are also the most common type of refrigeration gas. The elimination of HFCs from insulation materials is part of a broader commitment by the company to reduce emissions from sales and marketing equipment.
Cingular Converts Eight Stores In Las Vegas To Serve Growing Hispanic Market
Cingular Wireless is creating a new shopping experience in Las Vegas by converting signage and collateral in eight local stores to both English and Spanish. Bilingual sales people will be prepared to serve customers in both languages and will be trained to handle the needs of Latino consumers using a culturally-appropriate approach.
“Understanding and continuing to deliver on the needs of Spanish speaking customers will allow us to strengthen our leadership position within this important market,” said Tammi Terrell, Vice President & GM, Cingular.
The new bilingual store concept is part of Cingular's comprehensive strategy to meet the needs of Hispanic consumers and includes products and services, marketing and infrastructure, such as ringtones from top Latin artists, as well as wallpapers, graphics, games, news, sports scores, weather and horoscopes, all in Spanish. There are four bilingual call centers for customers who prefer to do business in Spanish; a Spanish-language Web site; ad campaigns in Spanish; sponsorships of top Hispanic celebrities; and special calling rates to Mexico and other Latin American countries.
Smirnoff Vodka Featured In Newest Bond Film, ‘Casino Royale’
James Bond will return to the screen in the upcoming EON productions and Sony Pictures Entertainment production of "Casino Royale," set to release November 17. The return of Bond will also mark the return of another icon-Smirnoff Vodka, as James Bond's vodka of choice.
The renewed alliance between Smirnoff and Bond will involve a fully integrated multi-million dollar media campaign, including broadcast advertising; on- and off-premise promotions and sweepstakes; public relations and a fully interactive Casino Royale microsite.
The close partnership between Smirnoff Vodka and Bond began in 1962’s “Dr. No,”when the villain hands Sean Connery a "Martini, shaken not stirred" made with Smirnoff Vodka. “Today, Bond is as much a part of Smirnoff's history as Smirnoff is of Bond’s-and we’re delighted to be part of this latest chapter,” said James Thompson, President, Smirnoff Global Marketing, a Diageo brand.
Coca-Cola Introduces “Far Coast” Brand, With Concept Store In Toronto, Canada
The Coca-Cola Company has unveiled its Far Coast brand of premium brewed beverages to the Toronto, Canada marketplace. Through Far Coast, the Company has created a revolutionary new system to empower its retail customers-premium restaurants, entertainment venues and other high-end outlets-to offer a variety of freshly brewed espressos, chai teas, cappuccinos and lattes with a high degree of operational ease.
According to the Company, Toronto is an ideal location for the launch because it is a multicultural city that fits the cultural exploration brand positioning of Far Coast and is in a country that has a highly developed brewed beverage market. To help build awareness and trial of the Far Coast brand in Toronto, the Company has created a Far Coast Concept Store, which will provide a venue for customers to taste and explore the wide range of premium Far Coast blends. Following the Toronto opening, Concept Stores will be opened in Oslo and Singapore as well.
Coca-Cola has also developed a proprietary pod-based brewing technology that provides customers with an operationally easy system to offer barista quality brewed beverages while ensuring each beverage is of consistently superior quality and freshly made for each individual consumer. This innovation is designed to help the retailers overcome operational complexities such as complex, unreliable machines and high labor turnover. Through this technology, retailers can quickly and conveniently tap into the fast growing specialty coffee and tea market while receiving marketing and technical support from Coca-Cola.
New Cadillac Marketing Campaign Is Themed “Life. Liberty. And The Pursuit.”
Cadillac is introducing a new marketing campaign, themed “Life. Liberty. And The Pursuit,” showcasing Cadillac’s relevancy to today’s luxury consumers.
“We have achieved good momentum with the Cadillac brand,” said Cadillac Global Marketing Director, Liz Vanzura. “But now it’s time to put a face on the brand and invite more consumers to experience what Cadillac has to offer.”
Unlike Cadillac’s previous ‘Break Through’ campaign, which relied solely on Led Zeppelin music and Gary Sinise voice-overs, Cadillac’s new campaign will show different individuals behind the wheel of a Cadillac and utilize different voices and music for every execution to connect with each target consumer group.
The integrated campaign will include TV, print, an array of non-traditional media and promotional activities.
Audi Presents Streets Of Tomorrow
Audi of America is presenting Streets of Tomorrow, an upscale lifestyle and driving experience featuring the 2007 Audi Q7 in major U.S. cities. Each local event will enable guests to participate in an array of experiences tailored to their personal interests, such as gourmet cooking demonstrations and lectures on exotic travel destinations. The ride and drive experience will offer guests the opportunity to understand Audi’s technology, and put them behind the wheel of the Audi Q7.
“True to Audi’s heritage, Streets of Tomorrow is a festival of innovation, technology, design and performance,” said Stephen Berkov, Marketing Director for Audi. “It will give consumers an all-encompassing lifestyle and driving experience.”
Family Medic Opens In-Store Minor Medical Clinic Inside Kroger Market
Family Medic recently opened its first in-store minor medical clinic inside a Memphis, TN-based Kroger supermarket. The in-store clinic enables shoppers to buy groceries, fill a prescription, and get help for an earache or fever, all under one roof. The micro-size medical office offers various services to people on the go, including diagnostic tests, throat cultures, and blood pressure checks with or without an appointment.
The Family Medic clinic includes work stations, an examination table, a sink and refrigerator, drug storage, work surface and a waiting room, all in a small efficient space that is handicap accessible. Nimlok Memphis, utilized custom modular trade show materials to construct the clinic because they’re light weight and can be easily and quickly installed.
CVS Photo Center Facilitates Internet-To-Retail Picture Processing
Consumers who use online photo services to order their pictures no longer have to wait for prints to arrive in the mail thanks to the new CVS Photo Center. CVS/pharmacy's online photo center offers image sharing, storage, gifts and internet-to-retail picture processing. Unlike most other online photo sites, www.cvsphotocenter.com makes it possible for customers to upload photos, order prints and drive to a local CVS/pharmacy store to pick them up-in many instances in as little as one hour.
In Internet to-retail processing, consumers upload pictures to the CVS online photo center then go to local stores to pick up their pictures, days faster than a Web-only service can deliver.
Tweeter Opens ‘Playground’ Concept Store
Tweeter Home Entertainment has opened a “Consumer Electronics Playground” concept store in Burlington, MA. The store’s unique selling spaces create a “custom journey” that makes shopping for home and mobile entertainment more enjoyable.
The new CE Playground store showcases whole-home control and automation through sophisticated spaces designed to replicate the rooms throughout a customer’s home. A fully-integrated family room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen sports bar and patio space are all decked out with the most cutting-edge video/audio gear. The store’s gigantic wall of flat-panel TVs allows customers to compare TVs with little effort. The Big Screen Adventure, is a home theater experience that offers people the opportunity to sit in D-BOX Quest motion simulator seating, while viewing their favorite movies on a Sony projector with a 120" Stewart screen.
Judy Quye, Tweeter’s Sr. V.P., Sales, said “Our concept stores are consumer electronics playgrounds that excite and educate consumers about what is now possible in their homes.”
Garmin Showcase To Open In Chicago
Garmin International plans to open a retail product showcase on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue in time for the 2006 holiday shopping season. Garmin is the only GPS manufacturer to unveil a location devoted to giving customers the world’s most comprehensive GPS experience through hands-on product demonstrations and interactive kiosks, and special seminars.
“This new Garmin presence on Michigan Avenue will allow us to promote our brand and our products in a new way,” said Dr. Min Kao, Garmin’s CEO. “We want to use this location as a destination to excite our customers, and further propel sales among all our retailers.”
'Disney Magic Selections’ Healthy Product Line Debuts At Kroger Stores
Kroger Co. and Disney Consumer Products are partnering for an exclusive line of Disney Magic Selections-branded products featuring Disney characters on food, health and beauty items.
Approximately 100 food items will launch throughout 2006, with the majority of products giving families fun and healthier alternatives. The line will include items that are inherently healthy such as fresh fruits in kid-size packages, while other product categories such as snacks, meals and popular staple foods will feature items with significantly improved formulations offering controlled levels of calories, fat and sugar.
Signage and aisle displays in Kroger stores will feature Mickey Mouse as “Chef Mickey” and “Farmer Mickey.”
Giant Eagle Introduces Market District Destination Store Concept
Giant Eagle has launched two Market District Destination concept stores in the southwestern Pennsylvania region, offering a culinary destination for food aficionados paired with the convenience of a full service market. In a single location, customers can purchase unique, fresh and specialty items alongside mainstream national brands while enjoying convenience-oriented services such as pharmacy, photo development and dry cleaning.
The two Market District stores offer: a Brazilian-style churrasco; the finest in charcuterie showcasing domestic and imported cured meats from countries such as Italy and Spain; a cheese department with more than 400 choices from around the globe; a traditional pizza oven; a sushi bar and 4,000 organic and gluten-free items.
In-store events will include cooking demonstrations from resident chefs, and free Wi-Fi access is available in the Market District Café.
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