Thinking Big

Did you ever get the feeling that January is a lot longer than all the other months?

No, I don't mean the day (or three) it legitimately has on those five shorter months. I'm talking about some mystical force that makes it seem as if each new year begins with a 64-day month.

A lot of big things happened in the world of in-store marketing during January -- and early February, too. New store prototypes. Major brand launches. Corporate reorganizations. It just seems to be way too much to have occurred in just 31 days, doesn't it?

One of the more significant events took place on Jan. 16, when NBC Universal held the first ever "Upfront" conference for in-store and other out-of-home media. Some industry watchers saw it as a milestone in the emergence of the store as a legitimate advertising medium, and it surely is a big step forward for in-store digital networks. I, however, am still wondering if it might not be an obstacle for the development of true customer-focused marketing.

Wal-Mart made big news again -- a couple of times. The company unveiled its latest green store design and got a little tougher on the sustainability demands it places on vendors. It also restructured its apparel division, moving the sourcing and product development teams out of Bentonville to fashion-forward New York in the latest bid to get trendier; later in the month, it launched an exclusive collection that seemed more appropriate for its existing customer base: "Hannah Montana" apparel and accessories for girls. (That last news was really big news in my house, thanks to my seven-year-old daughter's obsession with the Walt Disney property.)

There also was the Super Bowl, which, in the world of in-store marketing, is more often known as the "Big Game" (unless you have an official NFL license). But while the merchandising conducted by PepsiCo, Kraft Foods and several other brand marketers certainly came up big this season, most retailer activity played out pretty small.

Other big events over the last six weeks: Johnson & Johnson launched Zyrtec over the counter with a campaign putting displays in just about every store -- and it had to, since the brand faced immediate private-label competition; Circuit City decided to bet its future on a smaller, more service-oriented store; and JCPenney teamed with Polo Ralph Lauren for the biggest brand launch in the chain's 105-year history.

I just hope things slow down a bit. Otherwise, the rest of the year is going to feel as long as January.

Peter Breen
Managing Director, Content
In-Store Marketing Institute

Members: More information here.

Store Checks: Wal-Mart Opens Next-Gen Sustainable Store

Improved lighting, refrigeration and heating systems are among the upgrades Wal-Mart has made to its latest sustainable store prototype, which was introduced last month in a new Romeoville, IL, supercenter. But along with its environmentally friendly features, the store also offers numerous examples of such other major Wal-Mart initiatives as shopper-friendly design, "Store of the Community" merchandising and private-label marketing.

Our coverage of the world's largest retailer this month also includes a look at the chain's exclusive new Hannah Montana product line and the rollout of a Wal-Mart TV network in Canada.

Members, view the store check.

Trends: Top Decorative Materials of 2007

The latest in textured substrates, color-infused structural components and compact LED lighting systems highlight our fifth annual review of top P-O-P materials. Based on reader inquiries about materials featured in P-O-P Design, the review offers a glimpse at what's piquing the interests of display designers and engineers.

Members, view the report.

Seasonal Store Checks: Super Bowl Merchandising 2008

On the field at Super Bowl XLII, the heavy favorite lost in a stunning upset. In supermarkets before the game, however, no underdog packaged goods company came anywhere close to supplanting PepsiCo as the most prolific seasonal merchandiser. Our coverage includes overviews of activity from more than 30 brands and retailers along with 138 related images.

Members: View the articles.

Media Watch: NBC Adds In-Store to the Mix

On Jan. 16 in New York, NBC Universal brought together more than 200 media buyers to formally publicize an organized push into the digital out-of-home advertising market. The television giant 's new NBC Everywhere unit showcased partnerships with two in-store networks -- PRN's Supermarket Checkout TV and the Fuelcast Network -- as part of a broader collection of alliances formed to help advertising clients identify effective out-of-home options.

Members: View the article.

Lecture Hall: Quality Design in the Big Box Retailing World by Bill Sterling and Paul Metaxatos, Proteus

Designing quality products, packaging and displays for big-box retail environments such as The Home Depot and Lowe's is not only possible, it's necessary for success. In an audio-enabled presentation from the September 2007 In-Store Marketing Expo, Bill Sterling and Paul Metaxatos explain how quality design can thrive in the big box world -- if the brand is properly positioned and the product's value is clear to the intended customer.

Members: View the presentation.

Welcome New Institute Members

The In-Store Marketing Institute is delighted to welcome new and renewing members to the Institute family. Below is a list of the companies that signed up recently. Welcome aboard.

• 20th Century Fox
• Aero Products International Inc.
• Alberto Culver Corporation
• Arch Chemicals Inc.
• Archbold Container Corp. - Div. of Green Bay Packaging
• Benjamin Moore & Co.
• Bottega Verde S.r.l.
• Callaway Golf
• Capital C
• Century Displays Inc.
• Channel M
• Chicago Display Marketing Group
• Chicago P-O-P
• COKeM International Ltd.
• Cornerstone Display
• Cosco Home & Office Products
• Crown Imports LLC
• Filtrona Extrusion Inc.
• FLEXcon Co.
• Footprint Retail Services
• Fuse Marketing Group
• GE Consumer and Industrial
• H&R Block
• Heinz North America
• HMT Associates Inc.
• IATCO
• Illy Caffe
• Instachange Displays Limited
• Kobrand Corporation
• Lexmark
• Mars Inc.
• MeadWestvaco
• MTI
• Nestle Waters
• Panduit
• Parham Santana
• PetSmart
• Phenomena Helsinki Oy
• Provident Distribution
• Sanford
• Sonoco CorrFlex
• Staples Inc.
• Supervalu
• Swedish Match
• Synsor Corporation
• Taylormade-adidas Golf Company
• Texas Instruments
• The Jay Group
• THQ
• Trinity LLC
• U.S. Cellular
• VT Group
• Warner Brothers
• Welch's
• Weyerhaeuser Retail Experience
• William Fox Munroe Inc.