Branding

Many retail marketers debate the utility of taking a political stance as a brand or remaining neutral, especially during contentious times like an election year. But is this hot-button issue as important as it seems? According to recent data from a Sitejabber survey, the answer may be “no.” While some brands feel compelled to engage…

In episode 451 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jon Arnold, executive director of marketing at Bridgestone Retail Operations, a tire and automotive family of brands including Tires Plus and Hibdon Tires Plus. Listen in as Arnold provides an overview of the company (1:00), discusses his career background and role at the organization…

For affluent consumers who are ultra-sensitized to luxury brands and their codes of meaning, savoir-faire is the ultimate flex. In some prominent families, purchases and self-presentation trigger complex negotiations between social obligation and self-expression. A perfect example is the age-old tradition of donning your grandmother’s heavy wedding set instead of daring to decline the matriarch’s…

There’s a famous anecdote about three stone masons. Though its origins are fuzzy, at best, it’s a beautiful lesson in the power of perspective. Each version goes something like this: a stranger wandering along a road encounters a trio of workers. He asks the first, “What are you doing?” The worker responds, “What does it…

Anyone in retail knows that brands sometimes have to reinvent themselves in order to remain relevant and — for lack of a better word — "cool" to consumers. At the National Retail Federation's Big Show last week, executives from two well-known brands, Claire's and Crocs, shared how their companies overcame setbacks and charted a new…

Overstock.com, Inc., which operates as Bed Bath & Beyond, today announced that it will change its corporate name to Beyond, Inc. effective Nov. 6, 2023. The company will also transfer its stock listing from the Nasdaq Global Market (NASDAQ) to the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and change its ticker symbol from OSTK to BYON. Following…

Specialty arts-and-crafts retailer Michaels announced earlier this week that it was launching a new brand identity "focused on helping core and new customers alike bring their creative ideas to life." The announcement comes as the Texas-based retailer, which operates over 1,290 stores, celebrates its 50th anniversary, according to a company press release. The refresh includes a…

How did a 92-year-old company dedicated to women's clothing successfully launch a tween brand in 2022? In an exclusive interview with Women in Retail Leadership Circle (WIRLC) and Total Retail last week, Laura Sieger, senior vice president and chief marketing officer of maurices, shared a behind-the-scenes look at the launch and expansion of Evsie, maurices' tween…

Product personalization has ancient roots in woodblock garment printing from around 200 CE in China, but it wasn’t until the advent of mass marketing of standardized goods post World War II that customization at scale became possible. Now, new production methods let retailers like Zazzle offer shoppers the ability to print their own images onto…

Consumers seek out brands that share their values, know them well, and provide the experiences they expect. Smart retailers leverage this knowledge to build customer relationships that endure. However, when it comes to relationship building with Gen Z — the cohort of consumers born between 1997 and 2012 — seasoned decision makers sometimes struggle to…