Public Relations
October 25, 2016 at 11:51 am
REI will keep its stores closed on the day after Thanksgiving for the second straight year, even though it's one of the busiest shopping days of the year. It will also again pay employees for the day off in a campaign that encourages people to spend time outdoors. Online shoppers can put items in their cart,…
September 9, 2016 at 10:20 am
Wal-Mart has joined the list of tone-deaf companies using the upcoming anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks to sell products. At a store in Panama City Beach, Florida, a display was built out of soda to resemble the towers and above it, a message read: “We Will Never Forget.” Upset consumers took to Twitter to…
August 22, 2016 at 10:22 am
The U.S. Olympic team isn't the only entity feeling the sting of the recent Ryan Lochte controversy. Following news that the Olympic swimmer fabricated a story of getting robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro, images of the athlete have quietly disappeared from the Ralph Lauren Olympic apparel page on its site and allegedly from some Macy’s brick-and-mortar stores. Total Retail's…
August 18, 2016 at 12:07 pm
Target plans to spend $20 million to build single-occupant restrooms to appease shoppers uncomfortable with its stated policy that allows transgender customers and employees to use the restroom of their choice. That statement spurred a public debate on the issue and several protests, including a boycott by the American Family Association. Target hasn't changed its policy,…
July 18, 2016 at 10:02 am
Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos is playing an alien in the new "Star Trek" movie. According to the Associatd Press, Bezos is listed in the credits for "Star Trek Beyond," the third installment of the rebooted sci-fi franchise. In interviews last week, producer J.J. Abrams and director Justin Lin confirmed Bezos’ appearance in the movie. Total…
July 1, 2016 at 10:53 am
The courts struck down the 2012 settlement of a class-action lawsuit over Visa and MasterCard’s credit card swipe fees.
May 12, 2016 at 11:01 am
Is Calvin Klein the new American Apparel? It’s the first thought that entered my mind when I saw this “upskirt” Calvin Klein clothing ad with the text “I flash in #mycalvins.” I cropped the image, but The Daily Mail shows the full ad that spawned a negative consumer reaction on social media. And yes, I know…
May 5, 2016 at 12:01 pm
Wednesday, Old Navy was trending on Twitter and Facebook, as well as overtaking a previously unrelated hashtag: #lovewins. And the retailer didn’t have to do much to earn it — the brand just stood by its April 29 ad depicting a happy, beautiful interracial couple with a cute kid. This, despite internet hate bringing back…
February 26, 2016 at 9:53 am
On Feb. 29, everyone at Zappos will get a paid day off. It's the first time, since the company opened, that its call center — normally open 24 hours a day, all year — will ever close. Zappos’ reasoning: Leap Day is extra time, and we should probably use it for something we normally wouldn't…
February 25, 2016 at 10:51 am
Lands' End quickly backpedaled this week from an association with feminist Gloria Steinem after hearing complaints from customers and the publication of an article by a pro-life news agency. With customers taking to the company's Facebook page to voice objections centered on Steinem's support for abortion rights, Lands' End on Tuesday removed a feature on Steinem…
