Wal-Mart has long been a double-edged sword for brands, agencies and distributors hoping to do business with the massive retailer. It’s a stickler on shelf space, in-store promotions and sampling events brands and agencies would like to execute, but if they get in, they’re likely golden.

This author lays out the differences between great retailers—Wal-Mart and Costco—and average retailers. He discusses the one simple reason that both fall into the “great” category, as well as how Wal-Mart’s ad dollars compare to competitors and how Costco’s spends just about nothing on advertising compared to other retailers. The article shares, charts and other insights we can apply to our own marketing.

Take a lesson from the pros: PROMO PRO Awards that is. We’re celebrating our 25th year as the most prestigious award program for promotion marketers across the globe; a venue that showcases the finest, most innovative promotion campaigns created and executed by top promotion professionals. (Enter the 2015 PRO Awards)

 

Here are six Big Ideas to take away from our 2014 Gold Winning Campaigns to create your own award winner:

It’s no longer just about “the spot,” the Super Bowl spot that is. It’s about how marketers are using that spot to take advantage of the expanding opportunities digital and mobile platforms are offering to extend the excitement and sharing of the spot far beyond just the 3-hour game.

David Burfeind, chief knowledge officer at The VIA Agency, a full-service marketing, advertising and digital agency, shares his thoughts on how to get it right.

A few weeks ago we let you know about five big brand CMO’s who are facing tough jobs this year. The NFL, embroiled in domestic abuse scandals, hired a woman. Target “missed the mark” by focusing too much on white suburban moms. McDonald’s needed to overcome lackluster sales. Netflix recorded slowing growth and Procter & Gamble, the world’s largest advertiser, is shedding brands at breakneck speed.

Now, this article focuses on one of those CMOs facing real challenges this year: Dawn Hudson, the new CMO of the National Football League. Hudson is not new to the NFL having working for 11 years at PepsiCo, which has been one of the Super Bowl’s most loyal in-game advertisers. Here, Hudson speaks candidly on a number of issues, including why she took the job and how she views the “No More” domestic violence ad that will run during the Super Bowl on Feb. 1.

Packaging plays an enormous role in consumer packaged goods, alcohol and other categories sales. Just the look of a sumptuous image of chocolate chip cookies on a package or the beauty in the design of a bottle of flavored vodka can spark an impulse purchase.  However, Britain’s plan to force tobacco companies to sell their products in standardized packages next year is sending shivers down the spines of consumer packaged goods marketers, particularly those selling junk food and alcohol.

“Catastrophic effects” and “dramatic” consequences are some of the terms being thrown around by some major brands as part of the effort to prevent Britain from following through on its plan. Here’s what you need to know.

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Viral share is a marketer's dream. Your meetings, brainstorming, creative efforts and hard work have paid off with your video reaching the masses.

If you didn’t already know—or suspect—Facebook reigns supreme when it comes to viral share and the stats prove it. Also included here are other interesting facts related to viral share and Facebook’s mobile phone audience. This quick pick gives you the latest stats to keep you up-to-date and show your smarts at the next digital management meeting.