Drug Store News
OPI Products, a subsidiary of Coty Inc., and Ford Motor Co. have had a long-time licensing arrangement around Mustang. The latest, honoring the 50th anniversary of the car, involves a line of OPI limited edition nail lacquers that will launch internationally in July. Race Red is one of the colors.
San Francisco Chronicle
Samsung Electronics promises to someday allow customers to record and analyze their health in real time on their watches. At a presentation in San Francisco, the company showed a smart watch concept that can track users' key vital signs around the clock. The company also introduced a cloud software platform that will allow researchers to upload and study the massive amount of data generated by wearers of devices.
Chicago Tribune
Marriage-related vendors in Chicago say as legalization of same-sex marriages approaches, they are seeing more business. The new law has encouraged a growing number of business owners and vendors to support the gay and lesbian community. A baker says her calendar for same-sex weddings is filling up. Tasty Catering in Elk Grove Village has tripled its same-sex wedding business for June. Cook County is one of 16 counties that began issuing same-sex marriage licenses early.
Boston Globe
A survey of 1,100 Amazon customers by Chicago-based Consumer Intelligence Research Partners categorized consumers' most recent purchase through Amazon. It found that electronics products account for about a third of all purchases, followed by books, at just under 20%. Groceries ranked third. Products in the sports, music, and auto categories were the third, second, and least-purchased, respectively.
Press Herald
T-Mobile, Walmart, Google and other retail, tech and telecom companies are moving into financial services with prepaid debit cards for paying bills, making purchases and depositing checks via a smartphone camera. A new survey of nearly 4,000 Americans by Accenture found that 72% of people ages 18 to 34 would bank with Walmart, Google or T-Mobile if they offered banking services.
Drug Store News
Target plans to launch a same-day delivery pilot in June in select markets. A $10 rush delivery service starts next month in the Minneapolis, Boston and Miami markets. Later this year, Target will launch standard one-to-two-day shipping from 136 stores in 38 markets across the country and provide access to store-only items not previously available from Target.com.
Chain Store Age
Staples has named a veteran marketing executive, Frank Bifulco, as its EVP marketing. Bifulco, who has had chief marketing positions at Home Depot, Hasbro, Coca-Cola and Timberland, will report to Ron Sargent, chairman and CEO, and will be a member of the company's executive committee.
Cincinnati Enquirer
A Cincinnati billboard operator, Norton Outdoor Advertising, is working with a Florida-based app developer to allow people to access billboard ads and special offers through their iPhone or Android device. Steve Camhi, Lazo Systems VP, said the Cincinnati company is the first in the U.S. to commit to using its technology.
Forbes
In an expansive story about GM's CEO, Mary Barra, ex-CEO Dan Ackerson said she knew nothing about the ignition-switch failure. "Mary has said it: The moment she became aware of the problem, as I would expect, she confronted it. She didn't know about it. I bet my life on it," he said.
Nation's Restaurant News
Einstein Noah Restaurant Group Inc.'s chief operating officer, Emanuel "Manny" Hilario, said he will resign from his position at the bagel chain operator to seek new opportunities. The company won't fill Hilario's position until a permanent president and chief executive is named. Meanwhile, regional VPs will handle his job.