Retail
Hot Wheels test drive
Kids are getting the chance to test-drive their Hot Wheels before breaking open their piggy banks. Until Oct. 10, Mississauga, Ont.-based Mattel will park a 36-foot trailer and set up a tent outside 16 Toys R Us locations in Ontario, allowing shoppers to check out the new fall collection.
In store for the future
Retail analyst Richard Talbot bought his digital camera many months ago, but he has yet to crack the little book that explains it. So he probably isn’t fully aware of the camera’s cool capabilities.
Outstanding new campaigns
The goal was to let everyone know that Indigo now stocks your favourite cuppa joe alongside the reading material, so the Grey
Indigo wants kids to read
Chief booklover Heather Reisman is looking for her own Apprentice.
Fall spend forecast
The perennial top spenders are government, automotive, and food, but lately entertainment, technology/telecom, and healthcare/pharmaceutical advertisers have joined the ranks. With multinationals like Procter & Gamble looking to redistribute media spending and cut back on TV, these newcomers will become more and more important to broadcasters as traditional categories finetune their media mix. Still, don’t look for new categories to jump into conventional this season. You will, however, see some trying specialty TV for the first time.
Mainstream retail spices it up
Sears, Ikea – even The Brick – respond to growing consumer demand with new ethnic offerings
Quiznos slashes price, touts 20 new low-carb subs
Quiznos Sub is serving up the ‘largest low-carb menu in Canada,’ with a new ad campaign to match.
H&R Block: from tax partner to financial partner
Tax king repositions for growth with flagship store, new market group and maybe even year-round ads
How can they put the blockbuster back in Blockbuster?
Like most revolutions, the one ushering in DVD technology isn’t equally rewarding all of its staunchest supporters. Blockbuster may have helped lead the move to DVDs, but New York-based parent Viacom recently made quite a statement on the future of the rental market by announcing plans to divest itself of the movie rental king. Viacom cited a DVD rental market that is slumping because consumers are deciding to buy (primarily from large retailers such as Wal-Mart) rather than rent. Business is down in Canada as well, but Blockbuster, which operates 411 stores here, says it’s going to fight back.
Selling to the store
Vendors are now spending more on trade promotion than any other form of marketing – so why are so many in-store programs described as ‘just dreadful’?
‘A no-brainer for advertisers’
New shopping magazines tap emerging ‘acquisition mind-set’ to create a new vehicle for marketers
Small but mighty
Specialty retailers tap into consumers’ need for attention as ‘exodus from department stores’ continues
Big box goes downtown
Category killers like Home Depot and Costco have conquered suburbia
- but can they hack it in the big city?
Digitizing the experience
74% of Canadians treasure the social aspect of shopping – so e-tailers are integrating with the real thing
Home for the holidays
This Christmas will see a 5% growth in retail spend – and a focus on unique gifts for the home will try to make the most of it
