U.K. cycling retailer Evans Cycles is reaching out to seasonal cyclists with a digital marketing strategy that aims for people who may not actually be on cycling websites or doing digital shopping for two wheeled, human-powered transport. The company is running a programmatic digital campaign, via Turn, targeting prospects at sites like eBay and news sites like The Guardian.

New vehicle sales continued strong in the U.S. in June, helping the auto industry finished up the best six months in a decade with a slew of automakers posting sales increases or logging manufacturers sales records. General Motors, FCA US, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, Audi, Volkswagen and Mazda all reported sales increases in the market lifted by strong demand for trucks and utility vehicles.

If you love failed products like Zima malt beverage, or Zune MP3 player, or Crystal Pepsi your shopping habits might be the crystal ball of doom. In a study published in the Journal of Marketing Research, researchers identified particular kinds of consumers whose preferences can predict products that will flop, calling those folks "harbingers of failure." Researchers looked at 130,000 consumers at a national convenience store chain, and found that 13% of them had buying habits that predicted a product would survive less than three years.

People of a certain age will remember Crazy Foam, the body wash, shampoo and conditioner featuring cartoon characters. It is coming back, boomers. Launched in 1965 by the American Aerosol Company and known as "Fun Foam Soap," Crazy Foam will be available in three character sets: DC Comics, Looney Tunes and Justice League, featuring such characters as Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, Bugs Bunny and Green Lantern. Crazy Foam featured Popeye, Spider-Man and The Hulk. The new generation, available at Kroger, retails for $5.99.

Kohl's has debuted its new off-price format, Off Aisle by Kohl's, with a test store in Cherry Hill, N.J. A spokesperson said the concept lets the chain test a discount pricing model. "Initially, this merchandise will consist of like-new items that have been returned to Kohl's stores or Kohls.com. Eventually, other merchandise will be added to the assortment," said the rep. Macy's will debut its off-price business, Macy's Backstage this fall. The efforts are a response to stores like TJ Maxx and Ross Stores.

McDonald's locations in New England this summer are offering the lobster roll. Restaurants in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut will sell the mollusk-enhanced sandwich for $7.99, customers can purchase the lobster roll through mid-August, according to McComb. Social media commentary has been mixed, with a lot of people saying "stick to burgers."

Phil Knight has announced plans to step down as Nike's chairman. Nike President and CEO Mark Parker will succeed him. Knight said he plans to stay involved in the business. He said he will transfer most of his Nike stock to a limited liability company, Swoosh LLC. Nike said its annual profit grew 22% to $3.27 billion and revenue rose 10% to $30.6 billion.