Target Offers Taste of DailyCandy†

Retailer's Site Will Feature Product Picks, Articles From Newsletter's Editors

Wall Street Journal, June 2, 2009 — Target has its bull's-eye on a new venture: online media.

On Tuesday, the retailer plans to formally announce a partnership with DailyCandy.com, the email newsletter and Web site owned by cable operator Comcast that covers fashion and culture for a mostly female audience.

The venture, called Red Hot Shop, will be a special section of Target.com that will feature products from up-and-coming designers selected by DailyCandy editors, along with articles and artwork by the DailyCandy team. It is part of a broader ad deal in which Target is paying to advertise with DailyCandy; neither side would disclose the value of the deal.

Springsteen Says Walmart Deal Was A 'Mistake'†

But Will Put-down Hurt Retailer's Successful Music Program?

Advertising Age, February 2, 2009 — In the end, Walmart may not have entirely gotten its money's worth for a Bruce Springsteen exclusive. The Boss dissed the giant retailer in a New York Times interview just days before his Super Bowl performance.

Starbucks' Volunteer Push Gets Boost From 'Oprah Effect'†

Pledges to Coffee Chain's 'I'm In' Campaign Soar After Talk-Show Mention

Advertising Age, January 21, 2009 — Starbucks' campaign to promote volunteerism (and store traffic) got a huge bump today from no less than Oprah Winfrey — and by extension, Barack Obama.

The talk-show host talked up the java giant's "I'm In" campaign, which encourages consumers to pledge five hours of community service before the end of the year. Those who commit to doing so at Starbucks between now and Sunday will be rewarded with a free coffee.

Wake Up Call†

Brandweek, November 11, 2008 — Given its recent financial struggles—at the core of which are weak sales that have forced the closing of about 600 of its U.S. stores through the first half of fiscal year 2009—the question many people are asking right now is: Can Starbucks get its mojo back?

Hanging Out at a Mall for the Holidays

New York Times, October 30, 2008 — THOUGH many retailers are closing and cutting back, Teen Vogue is taking its franchise to the mall.

The magazine is opening a store, called the Teen Vogue Haute Spot, in the Mall at Short Hills in New Jersey. But the magazine does not intend to sell merchandise.

Instead, the store will be a place for girls to relax, try on clothes and drink smoothies — all while marketers woo them.

An Old Buzzword Is Back: Bargains

New York Times, October 24, 2008 — As the year began, consumers started to see a trickle of advertisements that played up brand value rather than attributes like status or prestige. As the economy worsened in the spring and summer, the trickle became a torrent.

Now, as the crisis in finance continues, a veritable tidal wave of ads devoted to saving money is washing over the country.

Marketing textbooks suggest, however, that a focus in the short term on pinching pennies could in the long run have a deleterious effect on the images of brands or products by cheapening them.