"We think we can be the world’s leading partner in reimagining localized healthcare for all," Walgreens CEO Roz Brewer -- who's been in her role for a year --  told Fast Company. That effort includes opening 600 Village Medical at Walgreens clinics by 2025 -- "designed to engender personalized patient relationships and offer coordinated care with Walgreens pharmacists," and "Walgreens Health Corners, in-store spaces staffed by nurses or pharmacists who will provide additional services, including preventative screenings, to members of certain health plans."

"As U.K.-based organizations tweeted a flood of posts with platitudes celebrating their 'sheroes,' a bot replied with the gender pay gap at each company in question," according to Fortune. The app was created by Manchester-based freelance copywriter and a software developer.

"Lifelong baseball fan" Andy Goldberg is the new executive vice president and chief marketing officer for the Mets. Goldberg replaces David Newman, who is shifting into a consulting role, according to Mets.com. At American Express, Goldberg was  responsible for developing global brand strategy and annual brand marketing plans. Previously, he was at General Electric. “His experience leading creative and marketing teams for two Fortune 500 brands will be an instrumental part of helping grow the organization’s image,” says Mets president Sandy Alderson.

In April, the two companies are set to raise fees charged to large merchants when their customers pay with credit cards. This change "had been scheduled to happen two years ago but [was] put on hold during the pandemic," according to Pyments.com. "Most of the increases will come from higher interchange fees, which are paid by merchants to the card-issuing banks when shoppers use cards."

No big surprise with this piece of news "Today, the small U.S. mask manufacturers are in dire straits, if they haven’t gone out of business already," according to The New York Times. That's after "a handful of U.S. entrepreneurs responded by starting to manufacture masks domestically" when the pandemic took hold and "the supply chain for protective equipment broke down, creating severe shortages that cost lives." Meanwhile, "36 companies are now members of the American Mask Manufacturer’s Association, formed to lobby Washington."

"Chewy  co-founder and GameStop Chairman Ryan Cohen has taken a large stake in Bed Bath & Beyond, and is urging the retailer to explore alternatives, including a full sale or separating the buybuy Baby business," according to Seeking Alpha. "BBBY surged 76% in premarket trading."

Amazon Books and Amazon 4-star locations, along with Amazon Pop Up sites, are the categories set for closure, with dates unspecified, according to Chain Store Age. The ecommerce giant is not giving up on physical locations altogether, though. It plans to open its first-ever, high-tech clothing store later in the year at The Americana at Brand, a lifestyle center in Glendale, California.

Former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo has launched a digital and television campaign aimed at rehabilitating his image, six months after he resigned over a report by the state Attorney General accusing him of multiple sexual-harassment allegations. “Cuomo’s campaign account is spending $370,000 on the ads for the week of Feb. 28 through March 6, according to AdImpact, a media tracking firm,” per Crain’s New York Business. “The bulk of the money is concentrated in New York City.”

Chanel, Nike, Hermès and Ikea are among the retailers closing stores in Russia as a result of the country’s Ukraine attack. Nike alone has 100 stores in the country. Ikea halted export and import in and out of Russia and its ally Belarus and production operations, moves which impact 15,000 employees. “Like an increasing number of retailers and brands—including Balenciaga, Burberry, Gucci, Keen Footwear, Adidas and Mango—Ikea is donating money to support humanitarian efforts,” per Sourcing Journal.  

While the production of ads is still requiring masks and social distancing, any evidence of the ongoing pandemic has largely disappeared from creative content. Part of it is political. “Reminding people of the realities of the pandemic poses another risk: Potentially alienating some consumers,” per Marketing Brew. “Some markers of the pandemic, including masks and vaccines, have become increasingly divisive for some Americans, especially amid the proliferation of Covid disinformation.”