Mother's Day Goes Big--For a Bit Less--in '08

She woke you up every morning and made your breakfast (or at least purchased the food in your cupboards for consumption). She wouldn't let you go to the prom with Jeff Hopkins, but she did let you date Eric Carpenter--chaperoned, of course. Good ole' mom. It's for all of this, and so much more, that we celebrate Mother's Day, May 11, 2008.

And retailers have cause for celebration as well. The Washington, D.C.-based National Retail Federation (NRF) reports that total Mother's Day spending is expected to reach $15.8 billion. Even better, more consumers will be showing mom some love, with 84 percent of consumers expected to celebrate the holiday this year. In addition, the NRF reports that the average consumer will spend $138.63 on Mother's Day, a slight decrease of 51 cents.

So, what types of gifts are consumers buying mom? Brunch or dinner is a biggie, with $3 billion expected to be spent, while greeting cards and flowers still remain a top favorite, as do gift certificates. Some savvy customers are expanding the Mother's Day gift horizon by purchasing clothing and accessories, spa visits, consumer electronics (really?!) and pampering items, as well as jewelry.

The NRF also reports that florists, jewelers and greeting card stores will see the highest spikes in customer traffic, while 35 percent of consumers will buy gifts at a specialty store, 25.7 percent will shop at a discount store (that would be me!) and 28.8 percent will visit a department store for their Mother's Day purchase. For those strapped for time, 18.3 percent will purchase a gift online.

In addition, retailers are doing their part to pump up Mother's Day sales, offering specials and discounts galore. Philadelphia-based Destination Maternity (a retailer who exists solely due to the desire of women to become mothers), is offering complimentary 10-minute massages to all customers, and the first 100 expectant moms will receive a flower. Aww...how sweet!

What will you be getting mom for the big day? Or do you know of a super cool Mother's Day retail promotion, like more free massages? Post your comments here!

--Heather Strang

Cash--Duct Tape for America

For those of us that fully embrace the capitalist lifestyle, we firmly believe in cold hard cash. Economy in crisis? Infuse some cash into the system. Can't afford gas prices? Go buy some lipstick. Paper cut? Cover it in cash. See, cash is much like duct tape--there's nothing it won't fix.

And that's why retailers are practically jumping for joy at the President's decision to send out economic stimulus checks to Americans. In fact, checks are officially hitting a consumer near you this week. To entice customers to spend their newfound cash immediately, a variety of retailers are offering incentives.

Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Sears Holdings Corp. announced a campaign that will allow shoppers to exchange stimulus checks for store gift cards, worth the total purchase amount, plus an additional 10 percent. The cards will not expire and can be used at any Sears and Kmart store, as well as online at Sears.com and Landsend.com

San Jose, Calif.-based Fry's Electronics Inc. and Minneapolis-based Supervalu Inc. are also offering a similar bonus exchange May 2, 2008 to July 31, 2008. For checks of $300, shoppers will receive a gift card worth $330, while those with a check for $600 will receive a card worth $660. At Fry's, for a $1,200 check, customers will receive cards valued at $1,320. In addition, the cards will have no expiration date. Supervalu stores offering this special incentive include, Acme, Albertsons, bigg’s, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher’s, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw’s/Star Market, Shop ‘n Save and Shoppers Food & Pharmacy.

An extra $30 at a Sears or Supervalu store could actually be worth quite a bit--another bag of groceries, a pair of capris or socks for a year. But, an additional $30 at Fry's? I'm not so sure. Maybe I could get a pack of 20 DVDs or ear buds...

Either way, receiving extra cash from the government and retailers (not ones to willingly give us money back!) is pretty exciting. I plan to shop around and take advantage of the best deal before spending my cash. Thank you capitalism!

What do you plan to spend your stimulus check on? Or do you know of a great incentive from another retailer? Tell us about it here.

Oh, and be sure to visit the IRS site to find out when to expect your check.

--Heather Strang

Happy Earth Day!

Surprisingly a few years ago, Earth Day was only celebrated by a select few environmentalists and a handful of remaining hippies. Today, with increased knowledge about the damaging effects of plastics, chemicals and the like, the world is paying far more attention to Earth Day. Retailers are also jumping on the eco-friendly bandwagon, by providing special offers, products and a host of other do-gooder deeds in honor of this important day.

For example, Banana Republic is donating 1 percent of all in-store and online sales (up to $100,000) to The Trust for Public Land in order to support the preservation of urban spaces. In addition, customers can get their hands dirty, literally, by volunteering along side employees in New York and San Francisco to rebuild parks and urban spaces.

I love this! Getting shoppers involved is such an amazing way to change the world (and it doesn't hurt brand loyalty too much either). It almost makes me want to spend $135 on a plain dress at the Banana.

But, there's more where that came from...

Wayne, N.J. based Toys "R" Us introduced an eco-friendly toy line for Earth Day, and Union, N.J.-based Bed, Bath & Beyond is pumping up the marketing for its reusable bags, compost pails and more. Helsingborg, Sweden-based IKEA just said "no" to plastic bags and Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods will do the same starting today. Grand Rapids, Mich.-based Meijer Inc. recently announced its partnership with The Nature Conservancy to encourage shoppers to purchase non-invasive plants, trees and shrubs. The company is holding an Earth Day open house at 181 stores throughout the Midwest on April 26, 2008, to educate consumers.

In general, retailers are doing more than simply paying a superficial homage to Earth Day; they're actually putting their money where their mouth is. I don't know about you, but it feels good to be part of a community that's truly helping our Earth.

You go retailers!

Do you know of retailers going to spectacular lengths for Earth Day? Leave a comment here with the details.

--Heather Strang

Murakami Mania

Manga, manga, manga. Japanese pop artist and manga maestro Takashi Murakami is taking over Manhattan. Well, actually it’s Brooklyn, where his riotous retrospective opened to rave reviews last week at the Brooklyn Museum. Ninety of his colorful paintings, whimsical sculptures and zany inflatables adorn the museum’s halls--filled with images of flowers, weepy-eyed, fashionable young girls [Miss Ko2 is a favorite] and sexy, nude cartoon-like figures. A review in
The Wall Street Journal refers to his art as “creepy-cute paintings of cuddly characters with fierce-looking teeth.” What a treat for designers and visual merchandisers--who should all run to Brooklyn as fast as they can. This exhibit is bound to generate inspiration for months to come [maybe the windows at Saks?].

In case you are not familiar with the manga craze, or its cousin anime--this is a pseudo comic book, narrative art style, often incorporating animation, that originated in Japan and rapidly spread around the world, developing a cult standing among teens and hip adults.

Part of the exhibit includes an on-site Louis Vuitton store that sells merchandise decorated with Murakami-designed LV monograms. The colorful brand emblems were introduced to jazz up the brand a few seasons back and decorate handbags costing up to several thousands of dollars. Bringing the shop into the museum has ignited a controversy about art versus commerce. In answer, Murakami told The Wall Street Journal: “Whether it’s art or brands, we’re all talking about human desire.” Murakami also designed a recent album cover for singer Kanye West, who turned up in person to perform at the show’s opening.

Diva thinks Murakami is divine. Go to Brooklyn and take a look (the show runs through July 13).
Or look at this cool video by The New York Times here.

--Diva

Calling All Amateur Fashion Designers

Birds are chirping, the sun is out (finally!) and spring is here. People are friendlier--have you noticed this sun-induced phenomena? It's amazing. I figured it was the perfect time to inspire all of you amateur fashion designers to put your skills to use for a good cause.

Dress for Success Atlanta is hosting its second annual fashion show fundraiser competition, "Designed for a Purpose," with designer auditions scheduled for April 19, 2008, at 10 a.m., at their Atlanta headquarters. Dress for Success is looking for designers who can create an "original business suit," to debut at their upcoming fashion show, Aug. 17, 2008. Twenty semifinalists will be selected from the auditions, with 10 designers moving on to the fashion show in August.

For those of you who have been sketching designs and sewing on the weekends, now is the time to take your designs out into this world via Dress for Success. Who doesn't want to help a great organization and launch a new career?!

At the audition, bring:
-Portfolio
-Resume
-Finished sketch of your original business suit design, with fabric swatch
Must fit a woman size 12,14 or 16. Are these ladies cool or what?!

And here's the best part--your entry fee is simply a new pair of pantyhose or knee highs.

When it's all said and done, one designer will be awarded two tickets to one of the fashion capitals in our great nation (New York, Chicago or Los Angeles--I'm assuming whichever you're located closest to.), in addition to $500 and the title as Dress for Success Atlanta's Top Designer.

RSVP for the auditions here or visit the Dress for Success Atlanta site for more information.
If you do enter the competition, please keep us posted.

For those of you not in the know--Dress for Success is an incredible non-profit organization, located in more than 80 cities worldwide. They provide business attire and clothing to women, to help support economic independence. When you have the right clothes, you can secure the right job, and thus financial self-sufficiency. We love that!

Are you already supporting Dress for Success? If so, let us know about your experience with the organization by leaving a comment.

--Heather Strang

Macy's Walks the Eco-Friendly Talk

Some people only talk about what they're going to do to help the environment (Paris Hilton, you know who you are), while others prefer to actually do something about it.

In celebration of Earth Week and National Park Week, Macy's announced plans to kick off its "Turn Over a New Leaf" campaign, slated to run April 20-27. Make no mistake; this is not a campaign featuring sales associates covered in buttons or a parade of huge rah-rah banners. Oh no, Macy's is walking the talk, and is actively engaged in making the world a better place. Can you feel the warm fuzzies?!

According to Macy's, the week-long campaign will (hopefully) inspire consumers to add eco-friendly practices into their daily lives. Check out the festivities:

April 20:
-Customers can purchase $5 tickets for One Good Turn, a charity-shopping event taking place April 26-27, with proceeds going to the National Park Foundation. Tickets give customers a 2-day in-store and online shopping pass to receive 20 percent off most apparel merchandise and 10 percent off home decor.

-Macy's vendors, such as Origins, Hush Puppies, DKNY and Macy's private brands Style & Co. Sport and Haven by Hotel Collection will feature environmentally friendly merchandise.

April 22:
-To celebrate Earth Day, the first 100 customers in each store will receive a free sapling to plant. (A-dor-able!)

-The first 100 children will receive a National Park Foundation eco-friendly Kid Power coloring book.

-The Frango mint line will release its organic mint chocolates at 70 Macy's stores, primarily in the Midwest and online. The candies use ingredients such as organic milk chocolate, organic cane sugar and organic vanilla; and will be packaged in recycled paperboard boxes printed with vegetable-based ink.

April 26:
-The first 150 customers will receive a 100 percent natural cotton reusable tote bag. Afterwards, the bag will sell for $3.95, with $1 going directly to the National Parks Foundation.

-For customers that can't make it to the store, Macy's has a national online sweepstakes (win a new Ford Escape hybrid or a trip to a national park, complete with airfare and car rentals).

What didn't Macy's think of for Earth Week? I'm blown away!

They went above and beyond to make sure they reach as many people as possible, children included. Wouldn't it be cool if all major retailers had fabulous Earth Day or week or month celebrations so that consumers were helping the environment and learning about creating a sustainable future everywhere they went? A girl can dream...

Do you know a retailer who is making a positive impact on the environment? Or do you have an environmental charity you're passionate about? If so, share the details here.

--Heather Strang

 

Amuneal Mfg. Wins Best in Show at GlobalShop

Proving that horror films can inspire great things in retail, Amuneal Mfg. took the award as Best in Show booth winner at GlobalShop 2008. Featuring an Alfred Hitchcock inspired theme (from The Birds, no less!), the booth was surrounded by aluminum panels with cut-outs of birds in flight. Fortunately, the booth wasn't even remotely terrifying.

To complement the fascinating theme, teak window frames accented the space, along with stainless steel flooring and a slate-colored entrance. Once inside the booth, Amuneal used graphics to showcase its work, including product samples and a brochure area. "We wanted to showcase some of our work and the case studies we have completed," said Chris Golas, a member of the company's sales and design team. "The booth is kind of a case study in itself. It shows off our full range of design capabilities."

Bravo to Amuneal for creating an incredible booth space and utilizing a bit of Alfred Hitchcock's genius (bonus points from me!). This was the third year Amuneal participated in GlobalShop, and I can't wait to see what they come up with for 2009!

-Heather Strang

 

Rock Out with Muzak at GlobalShop

Wandering the aisles of GlobalShop, you'll find just about anything and everything you could ever desire. There are some spectacular booths, everything from Sparks cocktail lounge to bright and bold colors from Epson. But, one booth in particular is a must-see. It's rockin'. Literally.

Booth #638 Muzak, located in the visual merchandising section, transports you into a whole other world. On top of that, you can pretend you're on America's Next Top Model and engage in a quickie photo shoot. Tyra Banks would be so proud. Best of all, you get to express the following four emotions: elation, angst, desire and pride. Once photographed, you leave completely cleared of all emotions and confidently immersed in the best emotion ever--bliss.

But besides the fabulous booth, Muzak does much more. They understand how important creating emotion is for the retail experience. Shoppers want to feel something and so, Muzak employs audio architects (how cool of a job is that?!) who create customized music tracks for retailers.

I love it. And I love the Muzak staff. So, be sure to stop by. Get out your angst, pride, elation and/or desire, listen to some rockin' music and chat with some cool people.

What was your Muzak experience like? Leave a comment here.

Happy GlobalShopping!

-Heather Strang

Retailers Go Ga-Ga For Digital Signage

A recent addition to GlobalShop is Digital Signage Day (in its 2nd year). It's a full day of conferences intended to give retailers the scoop on digital signage (DS) - one of the hottest forms of media today. During Digital Signage Day, retailers explore:

-Market trends.
-Enhancing in-store messaging.
-Case studies of successful DS campaigns (think iPhone).
-Connect with audiences through out-of-home networks.
-Other retail success stories.

So, of course, I needed to know more. I slyly stalked the DS-4 session, "Retailers Embrace Digital Signage" to get the 411. Fortunately, people at GlobalShop are nice and obliged me.

I chatted it up with John Kallmeyer, vice president of sales operations with Vista Color Imaging.

Q: How helpful did you feel the DS session was?
A: It was extremely helpful and provided a good general overview of the concept, taking all of the technology and messaging to make it more interactive for consumers. The session generated a lot ideas for me, I took a lot of notes. In fact, I even hatched an idea for a niche market I want to pursue.

Q: Why did you sign up for this session? Are you looking for DS or technology ideas to use in-store?
A: I'm more of a producer of static signage so I'm looking for the ability to display different content at different times as costs of plasma and other networks decline.

Q: Did you find any technology you plan on implementing?
A: I'm actually headed to the show floor right now to see what I can find. I have an idea so now I need to find someone to partner with to make it happen.

Q: Where do you see DS technology in the next 5 to 10 years?
Ultimately, I think it will displace static signage and move into the forefront.

Then, I was able to connect with Maurice Chu, a research scientist with the Palo Alto Research Center.

Q: How helpful did you feel the DS session was?
A: It gave real-life examples of how digital signage can be used in today's environment.

Q: Why did you sign up for this session? Are you looking for DS or technology ideas to use in-store?
A: I wanted to get a feel for what's happening in the world of digital signage. 

Q: Did you find any technology you plan on implementing?
A: I actually came up with some ideas on technologies that can be added to digital signage to make it even more effective, especially for niche marketing.

Q: Where do you see DS technology in the next 5 to 10 years?
A: It's going to be far more pervasive, because you can target advertisements, making them less annoying and more effective. Eventually, I think we'll see digital signage popping up on our personal mobile devices. It's really exciting!

What's your take on digital signage? Is it the wave of the future? Leave your comments here.

-Heather Strang

LIVE Coverage of GlobalShop in Chicago

Its GlobalShop time, and your favorite retail design magazine, DDI, is live at this year's event. No detail will go uncovered as we scour the show floor for interesting and exciting speakers, products and conference sessions. The show runs Tuesday, March 18th - Thursday, March 20th and is jam-packed full of retail design goodness. This year's show is held in nearly 300,000 sq. ft. of Chicago's McCormick Place in the LEED-certified West Hall. More than 16,000 industry professionals are expected to attend the event, along with more than 900 exhibitors.

Check out just a few of the show highlights:

-Six market-specific pavilions:
The Store Fixturing Show
The Visual Merchandising Show
Store Design & Operations
At-Retail Marketplace
The Digital Store
 Retail Marketing Services

-Extensive conference programs covering chocolate, women's buying habits, the "me" generation, creating the ultimate customer experience and much, much more.

-Digital Signage Day, with six bonus sessions centered around digital media in retail.

-2008 Retail Design Awards hosted by the Association for Retail Environments.

-The 50th Outstanding Merchandising Achievement Awards.

Stay tuned for twice-daily posts on all things GlobalShop, including an upcoming session on chocolate in retail. Yum!

-Heather Strang

Start the New Year Off Right...With Borders Books

New Year's marks a time of beginnings. It's also a time when most of us make resolutions we have no intention of ever keeping (much like my 2008 resolution to stop eating chocolate!). In reality, resolutions are false promises made in a spirit of hope, and often inebriation. Borders, however, has the perfect answer to our need to start the new year off with resolutions we will most likely never stick to. In fact, Borders is hoping that with their new program, running throughout the month of January, they'll be able to get us all to keep our New Year's resolutions.

Starting January 1st, Borders will hold free events in stores nationwide to aid in U.S. resolution keeping. There will be yoga classes, wellness fairs, singles nights (now, that might actually work - men who love to read - I'm there!), fitness and recreation clinics and diet seminars. Does that cover everyone's resolutions? A few of mine are there. How about you?

Borders New Year's events are promotional genius. We all make resolutions. We rarely keep them. How about a little support to make it happen? Oh, and while you're there - why not buy a few books? For some of us, entrance into any bookstore guarantees someone is getting rich - hint, it's not us.

While most retailers focus on New Year's sales, Borders came up with an inventive way to get us to the store, linger (i.e. more purchases) and meet up with others who have similar interests. Way to go Borders!

Know other retailers with excellent New Year's promotions? Do tell!
-Heather Strang

Happy Birthday, DDI!

Twenty years ago today, an oversized product tabloid was distributed to around 18,000 readers just before the NADI Show in New York. That December 1988 issue of Display & Design Ideas magazine (now known as the simply hip DDI) marked the debut of two decades worth of bringing readers the latest, most innovative and newsworthy retail projects, design products, movers and shakers and business news we could. Sure staff members have come and gone, and the look of the magazine is a dramatic departure from that first issue that hit the stands (thank goodness!), but the same things DDI stood for then are still in tact now--bringing the best of retail design to your fingertips, each and every month. We've of course added a face-to-face event or two to make sure you know what we all look like, and certainly the coming of age of the Internet has expanded our reach considerably (the Diva is surely grateful!).

Here's to 20 more successful years, and a continuance of friendships we've all embraced. Happy birthday, DDI. Thanks for sticking with us.

--Alison Embrey Medina

Biggest Boa Ever

Las Vegas is no doubt home to a plethora of World Record-holding events, and this Friday the city will add the debut of the world's longest--a mile long!--feather boa to its catalog. On June 8 at 4 p.m., ostrich.com will unveil the monstrous boa at this year's Miss Exotic World Weekend at The Freemont Street Experience for official entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. "The design, preparation and transport of a continuous piece of feather boa more than 5,000-ft.
long is a logistical nightmare, and after a lot of hard work from our dedicated staff, the final product is now set for this world record attempt," said Steve Warrington, president of ostrich.com, who manufactured the mile-long feather boa.

What's more, ostrich.com and Miss Exotic World are also attempting the world's longest "Bump-n-Grind" in Las Vegas for a double entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. Gee, how appropriate. More than 250 exotic dancers from around the world will swarm Vegas (like that's anything new) for the weekend, beginning with the unraveling of the mile-long boa.

If you can't make it to Vegas this Friday but still want a piece of the action, you can own a 12-ft. segment of the boa through ostrich.com, which has put together a complete package that includes an authentic numbered certificate and a copy of the Guinness World Record verification. The Web site boasts that you can order as many as you like...subject to availability, of course.

--Jessie Bove

Honor Thy Mother

For those of you who might want to start thinking about Mother's Day (May 13), it's less than a month away--so whatever you do, go ahead and mark your calendars right this second.

Of course, this day marks another opportunity for retailers to convert sentimental feelings into dollars. In a study conducted by Brand Keys Inc., a New York City-based brand and customer loyalty research consultancy, 1,000 men and women, 18-65 years of age, were polled about how they were planning to celebrate Mother's Day. Given that almost nine out of 10 consumers (89 percent) plan to celebrate Mother's Day, the study reveals that 90 percent of those polled intend to buy a card. Behind the card are plans to purchase flowers, a brunch/lunch/dinner or gift cards--in that order. Less than 50 percent (the bottom half) plan to either buy clothing, books, jewelry, electronics, spa treatments or candy--in that order. Who would have thought 10 years ago that candy would fall below electronics for this occasion? 

However, the most beneficial information for retailers in the study is where consumers are shopping for Mother's Day gifts:

Specialty Stores  39%
Department Stores 28%
On-line Stores 14%
Catalog 10%
Discount Stores 9%

In my mind, this is one holiday where it is truly the thought that counts, and most mothers appreciate a personal visit (if possible) or a phone call. Brand Keys' study found that 52 percent of participants will telephone their moms, while 30 percent will pay her a personal visit, 12 percent will send her a card as primary means of communication and 6 percent will reach out online (eek!).

However you choose to celebrate motherhood, make it special--because we couldn't live without them!

--Rachel Brown

Earth to Retail

 
Get ready everyone, as Earth Day is right around the corner. As the push for cleaner air and better use of resources is upon all individuals and businesses, April 22 is an opportune time to step up your initiative. Think of it as the "New Year" for eco-friendly behavior.

Many retailers and consumer product brands are beginning to go "green." The mass media seems to be very keen on airing information on green products and programs, spotlighting those companies that are going above and beyond. The message to customers is priceless. So, whether it's posting better in-store signage and literature on Energy Star products, or whether it's incorporating the recycling of plastic bags in your stores, doing something to promote the Earth's wellness is just the right thing to do, and it can't hurt business either.

--Rachel Brown

Will You Marry Me...in Wal-Mart?

NO! Heck No! Can you imagine if someone proposed to you in this way? I can't imagine it would get too many positive responses. In fact, it may even incite some violent reactions. Well in celebration of last Tuesday’s Proposal Day, Wal-Mart "proposed" just that. The retailer launched its Lucky in Love Weddings Search, and on July 7 (7/7/07), Wal-Mart and G Squared, a Wal-Mart exclusive brand from Gartner Studios, will give seven betrothed couples wedding ceremony and reception packages at local Wal-Mart Supercenters in the lawn and garden areas. Hooray?
   

More than 31,000 couples plan to wed on 7/7/07, and have signed up on the wedding Web site TheKnot.com. That's already more than 20,000--the number of couples who married on the corresponding weekend in 2006, according to The New York Times. So in order to help solve the venue and vendor booking dilemma, Wal-Mart is offering seven couples free Wal-Mart weddings.

In a press release announcing the Lucky in Love Weddings Search, Wal-Mart claims that it is "no stranger to love and has a rich history of making connections." Apparently, store associates and shoppers alike have fallen in love in the midst of Wal-Mart aisles, and some have even been married there too. The selected seven Lucky in Love Wedding Search couples will receive a Wedding Package that includes the wedding ceremony and reception venues, bride and groom 14kt gold and diamond wedding bands, wedding invitation package, wedding and groom's cakes, fresh floral bouquets, digital cameras and digital photo frame, portable GPS, reception food and a $1,000 Wal-Mart gift card.

A representative from Wal-Mart is quoted saying, "We understand that life's full of celebrations for our customers and we want to help those times be memorable." That's great, because a Wal-Mart wedding would sure be memorable--I'm just not sure it would be for the right reasons.

-Jessie Bove

Happy Birthday, Mr. Edison

Tommy Edison's 160th birthday is being highlighted with a bang. Thanks to a generous grant provided by GE Consumer & Industrial, the Thomas Edison House in Louisville, Ky., has installed new state-of-the-art museum lighting to bring to light some of the famous inventor's artifacts and creations. And boy are those Kentucky folks excited about it.

Thomas Edison, who founded the original General Electric Company in the late 1800s, is still a beacon of light (pun intended) to this century-old iconic company. “This was a great way to utilize GE's design, products and resources, and to give back to our local community," said Kevin Ruppelt, General Manager of Water Products, GE Consumer & Industrial, and a member of the Thomas Edison House's Board of Regents. "Thomas Edison would be proud of GE's advances in lighting technology and what we've done to highlight his inventions at the Museum. We are proud of our heritage.”

The Thomas Edison House features on exhibit many of Edison's inventions, including an extensive collection of incandescent lights, cylinder and disc phonographs, and early motion picture equipment. The new lighting installed at the Museum includes GE's line of track lighting designed for interior museum lighting applications, which use 58 percent less electricity compared with standard 50-Watt Halogen PAR20 lamps, plus they have twice the life. Advanced LED lighting is now used in the display cabinets and with no UV radiation, high efficiency, extreme brightness and minimum heat generation, they are great for illuminating museum artifacts.

"I never perfected an invention that I did not think about in terms of service it might give others," quoth Edison on the GE Web site. Well said, Thomas. Well said.

--Alison Embrey Medina

Runway Rocks for the Oscars

What better way to kick off Oscar week than with some glamorous, sparkling crystals--couture style! Swarovski has partnered with some of Hollywood's hottest designers to bring its glistening gems to the runway...just in time for the red carpet.

Swarovski's Runway Rocks, a collection of one-of-a-kind jewels created especially for the runway by leading names in fashion and jewelry design, debuted its latest version at The Ace Gallery in Beverly Hills. The new collection has a distinctive movie-style allure, as well it should. Styled entirely by costume designer Patricia Field ("Sex and the City"), the event was crafted from a pool of film industry design talent, and was full of Hollywood glam.

Emmy-award nominated costume designer, Cate Adair, merged jewels with a draped evening gown; Martin Adams conjured up a stunning showgirl creation, reminiscent of Hollywood '20s spectaculars; and Tarina Tarantino created a crystal-encrusted urban warrior. Leading Japanese fashion designer, Tae Ashida, threw torrents of crystals over a neck and shoulder ornament; Corto Moltedo dreamt up a dramatic crystal-wrapped American Indian feathered headdress; Milan, Italy-based jeweler, Betony Vernon, conceived a deep, curved and crisp collar fixed to a red crystal studded neck harness; and fashion's hottest newcomer this year, Christopher Kane, created a fluid jeweled bodice of crystal encrusted ring links.      

Swarovski, whose sparkling gems make an appearance in the recent hit "Dreamgirls," has reason to make an Oscar splash--singer-turned-actress Jennifer Hudson is up for Best Supporting Actress. To top it off, Swarovski will have an even bigger role in Hollywood's biggest night. Stay tuned on Sunday, Feb. 25, when the Academy Awards stage unveils a one-ton, 34-ft., custom-designed Swarovski crystal curtain sparkling with over 50,000 crystals flown in especially from Austria. Bravo!

--Alison Embrey Medina

Not the Best Way to Wait for a Sale...

David Blaine, street magician, illusionist and all-around creepy guy, strikes again, this time with a giving spirit. Diva supposes it was a bit too cold to spend a week underwater in New York this time of year, so the daredevil has opted for his latest stunt to involve hanging from a crane 50 ft. above Times Square. By one arm. In November. Much warmer up there, Diva's sure.

Now here's the kicker. This lovely tempt of fate is all brought to you by Target Corp., who has challenged Blaine to escape from his shackles in time for the Target 2-Day Sale, which begins at 6 a.m. this Friday. If he succeeds, he'll take 100 needy kids from the The Salvation Army on a Target shopping spree. If he doesn't, well, Times Square might never be the same.

Diva says, let the crazy man do his thing, but be sure he's taking his vertigo meds.

--Diva

Fragrance Tasters

Ever said "This tastes the way (blank) smells!" and received odd looks in return? (okay, maybe it's just me.) Well, that observation won't sound strange at all if you happen to stop by one of several lucky Macy's stores in upcoming weeks. Macy's is collaborating with James Beard's 2006 Outstanding Pastry Chef of the Year, Johnny Iuzzini of Restaurant Jean Georges in a series of "Food and Fragrance" events that promise to blur the boundaries between scent and taste.

According to a press release, Chef Iuzzini will explore the relationship between perfumery, science and the senses through in-store chef demonstrations by pairing prestige fragrance brands with original dessert recipes inspired by the fragrances' sweet notes. This multi-sensory program evolved from a joint culinary effort between Iuzzini and celebrated New York chef Bill Yosses in partnership with Macy's fragrances.

The "Feast Your Senses" tour will offer one-hour demonstrations that will begin with an introduction to the select notes that make up the "recipe" of the fragrance and the corresponding dessert or cocktail, and exposure to the same notes will happen again during the demonstration when the actual fragrance is revealed to the audience. Final exposure to the notes will take place during the dessert tasting. Macy's is hoping this sensory triad will "create an unconventional and memorable connection to the featured fragrance." So every time you smell the new Vera Wang perfume you'll instantly think of yummy, warm spiced apple cake. Same goes for the other perfumes and whatever other delectable concoctions they decide to pair them with. Oh so tricky, and yet, how very delicious.

The program will launch in four markets, showcasing different fragrances in each Macy's--Miss Dior Cherie at Chicago's State Street store on Nov.14; Vera Wang Princess at New York's Herald Square store on Dec. 12; Angel by Thierry Mugler at San Francisco's Union Square store on Feb. 6, 2007; and Juicy Couture at Miami's Aventura store on March 4, 2007. Time and in-store location details can be found on www.macys.com/foodandfragrance. The cost is $25 per person with the fee being redeemable for fragrance purchases post event. Registration can be made at the Fragrance Counter in the host store and space will be limited. For added fun, Bill Yosses' special collection of dessert recipes are available on the Macy's Food and Fragrance Web site. 

--Jessie Bove

Shoo Flu...Don't Bother Me!

Stuffy noses, headaches, coughs, chills and fever are heading our way America, and I for one am a happy camper knowing I have an appointment for a flu shot next week. (Last year's short supply of the shot left me with a miserable week hovering under a blanket with a cold sweat and a headache I'd rather not recall.) This year, people are heading out in droves to their local doctors and pharmacies to get the magic juice--and retailers are turning out to lend a helping hand...or syringe.

Wal-Mart, Sam's Club and Theraflu are teaming up to stick up to 1 million customers and members in the arm over the next two weekends--hosting the country's largest flu vaccination event. The Fluvirin(R) influenza virus vaccines will be doled out at more than 3,300 Wal-Marts and 450 Sam's Clubs around the country. Other retailers are offering out vaccinations as well from drugstores like CVS, Eckerd and Walgreens to supermarkets such as Ingles, BI-LO and Costco.

According to the CDC, more than 200,000 people are hospitalized and 36,000 people die from influenza and its complications each flu season, which typically lasts from October through April. Not to mention the thousands of hours missed at work from sick employees. Do us all a favor (especially your co-workers) and go sign up for a flu shot. Your customers will thank you for it.

--Alison Embrey Medina

Mad Dog Maude the Squeemish…

… is my pirate name according to the "pirate name generator" on Long John Silver’s Web site. Before you think I’m crazy, let me explain how it all started. While doing some research, I came across a press release for this fast food retailer’s annual “Talk Like A Pirate Day” on Sept. 19 (today!). The title of the release was so funny that I couldn’t help but laugh. And yet, I was strangely intrigued.

The seafood chain, which is named after the pirate in Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island, is inviting customers to get in on the buccaneer fun and visit their restaurants today for special “Talk Like A Pirate Day” festivities, including pirate-themed menu items and hats. This got me wondering: who came up with this “holiday?” Long John Silver’s? Someone else?

Well the company’s press release says “‘Talk Like a Pirate Day’ began in 1995 when creators Mark Summers and John Baur were playing racquetball in Albany, Ore. When one player reached for a tough shot, he exclaimed, "Aaaaarrrr!" Spontaneously, the two began speaking in pirate jargon, complete with accents, and the idea was born.”

Well that didn’t really answer my question, so I read on to discover some really funny stuff. A rep from the company states that “Pirates have never been more ‘in,’ but that's not news to Long John Silver's. Long before Johnny Depp embraced his inner pirate by bringing the character of Jack Sparrow to life in 'Pirates of the Caribbean,' we recognized America's love affair with pirates and named our company after one." (Here is where the stifled giggles began.) The rep went on to say, "Asking us if we celebrate 'Talk Like a Pirate Day' is like asking Santa Claus if he celebrates Christmas. We celebrate piracy in a fun way every day at our restaurants, but Sept. 19 is pretty special to us." (Enter uncontrollable, exploding laughter)

Long John Silver’s even conducted a “non-scientific” poll that revealed "Arrr, matey!" is the favorite pirate expression among 5,000 voters. (In case you were wondering, the rest of the most popular sayings were "Shiver me timbers," followed by the Long John Silver's tag line "Yarr, Genius!," then "Hand over the Treasure Chest (extra tartar sauce, please)" and "Yo-ho-ho!")

The press release also refers readers to the company Web site, which I could NOT pass up after reading such interesting information. Turns out their Web site has a special page dedicated to pirates, including a pirate dictionary and, of course, the aforementioned "pirate name generator" (Go ahead and give it a whirl, I promise you’ll laugh). 

Will this actually generate more sales for Long John Silver’s today? Will more consumers flock to their restaurants? Maybe. It’s definitely attention-grabbing and humorous, and who doesn’t like some light-hearted fun? I can bet, though, that their Web site will be seeing some record-setting heavy hits.

-- Mad Dog Maude the Squeemish (but just for today)

Bus Stop Living Rooms and Street-Corner Hammocks?

Doesn't look like your average New York City bus stop, does it? The "primped" (or "pimped?") shelter on W. 57th St. certainly stopped more than one blogger in their tracks last week during ICFF. It actually was one of several creative promotions surrounding IKEA's Everyday Fabulous pop-up store that opened across the street from Javits during the show.

IKEA stylists turned parks into picnic playgrounds, strung hammocks from street corners and turned hot dog stands into outdoor cafes, in one of the more unusual buzz-generators on record.

"We hope people will leave the Everyday Fabulous Exhibit feeling like they've just had a cool drink, a breath of fresh air and a dose of inspiration to dare to be different in their own home," said Lena Simonson-Berge, IKEA's creative director.

Among the cool give-aways at the exhibit: Free down pillows for the first 100 "suddenly singles" and free photo frames for the first 100 out-of-work actors. Both groups probably could have benefited from a map to the bus stop living rooms and steet corner hammocks, too. (How did they ever manage to take the photo without a "city camper" napping on the sofa?)

--Karen Schaffner

"Diva Bling" Pays Off At GlobalShop

My dears, Diva made her public debut last week, and it was a grand event indeed. Hundreds of avid Diva fans were out in force at GlobalShop, sporting their Diva Bling and hoping to get caught by the Diva Prize Patrol. This lucky group from Echeverria Design Group, Coral Gables, Fla., were the first to get caught...and they were tickled pink to get their iTunes gift cards. From left, Ian Tornquist, Robert Weber, Mario Echeverria, Bobbie Echeverria, Loyda Whitney and Diva Prize Patrol Chief Cory Fausz.

--Diva

Tales of a Toilet Brush

Last week at GlobalShop in Orlando, keynote speaker Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind: Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age, making a point about the increasing influence of design, demonstrated by holding up a toilet brush—just as the show photographer snapped a shot. A bit taken back—I’m sure Pink would rather have been photographed gesturing elegantly than brandishing about with a toilet brush—Pink recovered gracefully and continued his presentation. Of course, this was no ordinary toilet brush. It was a toilet brush designed by legendary architect and designer Michael Graves for retailer Target. Graves was a pioneer designer, who worked with the discount store to develop its strategy of bringing affordable good design to the public. According to an article in Women’s Wear Daily (WWD) in March. Graves makes the statement: “Our toilet bowl brush outsold any product at Target. Who knew it would land on the cover of Time?” Since then, Target has become known for “cheap chic,” and the era of design for the masses has been launched. Pink extolled the advantage of design as a value-added attribute, and talked about how design (along with concept, story and creativity) are becoming drivers of strategic differentiation and competitive advantage. What a positive and empowering message for the design industry. If you missed Pink at GlobalShop, don’t miss reading his inspiring, new book.

--RoxAnna Sway

Sport The Diva Bling, Baby

Dears, in case you were wondering, Diva will be jetting off to Orlando for GlobalShop in a couple of weeks. I absolutely wouldn't miss the most important event of the season. You'll be there, too, right? I mean, don't go all Tom Cruise and pull a no-show--after all, what would the red carpet be without you?

Where can you find me? Well, by now you may have determined that Diva has decided to remain anonymous, so you won't see my lovely face in person, but my now-famous likeness will be everywhere -- and I do believe that's as it should be. After all, if I do say so myself, in just a few short months, I've come to represent the Diva in all of you.

You're disappointed, aren't you? You really wanted to see me up close and personal, I know. So here's what I've decided to do:

You can pick up some Diva Bling (really...a pin with me on it) from my minions at the DDI booth in the main entrance foyer. At various times during the show, those very same minions will be walking though the aisles, looking for Diva wannabes. If you're sporting your Diva Bling and you're at the right place at the right time (what Diva wouldn't be?), you may win either an I-Tunes gift card or an official Diva T.

To put it in contemporary terms, Are you feelin' me?

-- Diva

Running of the Brides

It's that matrimonious time of year again. The annual "Running of the Brides" at Filene's Basement will bring wedding parties from across the country for the biggest bridal gown knock-down event of the year. Each spring, Filene's drastically marks down its collection of more than 2,300 gowns from designer bridal houses, and eager brides line up outside the store's doors, hungrily awaiting the 8 a.m. stampede to get inside and to the racks first.

Now as a consumer, I can completely understand the lure of a $9,000 wedding dress offered up for $500. But as a bride-to-be myself, I will never understand the torment and agony these women put themselves through for the sake of a cheap gown. Having witnessed first hand last year's Running of the Brides at the Atlanta store, I can tell you that I'm still trying to erase the images in my head--a thousand women with mixed facial expressions of utter greed and complete despair. I saw two women nearly come to punches arguing over the same dress for a good 30 minutes. I saw a bride standing half naked in a "designated corner," while her bridesmaids frantically shuttled dress after dress to her in any size/style that remotely suited her. I saw a misplaced brother or boyfriend carrying about a dozen purses and holding up a sign that read "We're looking for white, strapless, small train, size 8." He looked as if he might bolt at any moment. And I didn't bother counting the number of tear-stained faces that day--just being there made you want to cry!

Now this is the part that kills me. The annual event is such an emotional and physical roller coaster, there is actually a dress code (no high heels or flip flops--for safety reasons, I guess). And Filene's actually offers up "10 Tips for Success At the Filene's Basement Bridal Gown Sale." Top that off with the fact that two marketing professors at Bentley College actually used Filene's Running of the Brides as the subject of a study on consumer behavior.

Just goes to show how far the magnetic power of a good sale can go in the consumer marketplace. You can count me out for this sale though--I picked out my dress in a quiet shop while sipping on champagne.

--Alison Embrey

Serve me up

I recently returned from the annual NRF (National Retail Federation) show in New York where I noticed that a common thread that ran through several keynote presentations was the need for more and better customer service. This was significant, because in past years customer service was barely mentioned. Now, it is becoming apparent that many retailers have dismal ratings in terms of meeting their customers' expectations for service. One presenter went so far as to say that customer service would be an important competitive differentiator for retailers in the future.

Of course, there are those who see customer service becoming more and more a function of in-store technology—for example, a presentation by CEO Nardelli of Home Depot advocated referring shoppers to in-store kiosks where they would speak by phone with experts concerning advise for various DIY projects—but others see customer service as needing more, not less, human contact, with an abundant supply of courtesy, sensitivity and accommodation.

A recent survey recognized Nordstrom at tops in customer service—it's a tradition at Nordstrom, part of its corporate culture. Consumers can also get a generous dose of customer service at Chico's, Starbucks and the Container Store. These stores all use a low-tech approach to their service: it's strictly one-on-one, people helping people. And there is one other thing I have observed about stores that get high marks for service: their employees are better trained and they stay around longer. When you talk to these employees in the store, they seem to genuinely like their jobs.

RetailDesignDiva can't say that for the department store down the mall, where inevitably, a teen sales person is tied up on the phone trying to line up her Saturday night date (long wait until she hangs up) or a question about the merchandise is met with a shrug, as if to say, why are you bothering me? I just work here; how would I know (what's more I don't care)?

Diva would love some more of that good customer service they were talking about at NRF! Especially the old fashion human-to-human kind.

--RoxAnna Sway

 

Putting on the brakes

The North American International Auto Show in Detroit this week should be a wake-up call to American automakers. Innovation and design really do matter in today’s marketplace if you want to survive.

Consumers demand more from all sectors of retail these days, and the automotive industry is no exception. What diva wants to drive a boring car? Automakers who think design—ergonomic seats, trendy colors, innovative fabrics, gas-efficient engines and attractive exteriors (that also promote safety) are most successful. 

At the North American International Auto Show, Honda, which has gone full-fledge into the hybrid market, is apparently getting it right. The auto show hosts the esteemed North American Car of The Year Award, which was presented to Honda Motor Co. for its Civic. The Truck of the Year Award went to the Honda Ridgeline. China is presenting its main automaker, Geely, to the U.S. market for the first time at the show. And Toyota is introducing a hybrid version of the ever-popular Camry.

So where were Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp.—once the darlings of the automotive industry? Garnering headlines about substantial market share loss to Asian automakers, things aren’t looking good with massive layoffs and announcements to close plants. Maybe it’s time to put on the brakes and figure out what the U.S. consumer really wants. (And I bet it’s not that gas-guzzling, road-hogging SUV anymore.)

--Rachel Brown

Davos World Economic Forum validates design

The Diva has always known that design matters, and now design is being recognized as a driver of the economy. What a delight to see that the World Economic Forum, which takes place in Davos, Switzerland, in January every year (this is the loftiest economic gathering in the world, attended by presidents of countries, CEOs and power moguls) has established as its theme: "The Creative Imperative." The Forum, which covers the full range of world affairs and issues related to the economy, has scheduled conferences called "Innovation, Creativity and Design Strategies."

Diva has been singing praises for Daniel Pink's new book, "A Whole New Mind, Moving from the Information Age to the Conceptual Age," for some time now. Pink will be a keynote speaker at GlobalShop in March---our Industry's version of Davos. Pink's message is being heard around the world: Creativity rules. Innovation is indespensible. Design differentiates—and adds economic value.

Bruce Nussbaum of BusinessWeek, and author of the BusinessWeek online blog NussbaumOnDesign will be moderating at Davos on "Prepping for the Post-Knowledge Economy." Here's some copy on one of his sessions: "Having digitized, 'right-sized' and globalized, companies are competing through innovation and differentiation. Design strategy offers the opportunity to build not only better products but also better systems and processes."

So Diva says: it's about time that designers' contributions to the bottom line get recognized.

--RoxAnna Sway

These shoes were made for walking...

I bought some new shoes this week.

They’re fashionable, inexpensive and, above all, oh so comfortable. I have affectionately grown to call them “my tradeshow shoes.” It may only be January, but I am determined that this year I will be prepared. This year I will fight my worst nemesis. This year, I will do whatever it takes to DEFEAT the GlobalShop blister.

GlobalShop is the Superbowl of the retail design world, and therefore requires much training in the months leading up. While walking on the treadmill in a business suit might not be the answer for everyone (I’m a little erratic), there are some things you can do to prepare yourself for the optimal GlobalShop experience. The first initiative is to set your goals: Think creatively. Be open to new things. Seek inspiration. Oh, and don’t forget to bring a truckload full of business cards.

As we prepare to head to “the other O.C.” (the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando) in a few months, remember that our feet may do all the walking, but its our heads and our hearts that do all the talking. Keep your eyes open for the next big thing, keep design at the forefront of your mind, and you’ll be ready to orchestrate the best business wheelin’ and dealin’ this side of the Florida border.

Hope to see you—and your new comfy shoes—in March.

--Alison Embrey

Self-Promotion Alert: DDI's sister Expositions division runs GlobalShop--but you have to admit, it's still the best tradeshow around!