Public Relations

Zappos Wants to Turn Leap Day Into a National Holiday
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…

Lands’ End Apologizes for Featuring Feminist Gloria Steinem in Spring Catalog
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…

Target Takes Gender-Neutral Approach With New Kids Home Brand
February 9, 2016 at 10:53 am

Last fall, Target Corp. took its first baby steps toward a more gender-neutral store when it took down the “boys” and “girls” signs in its toy and kids’ bedding aisles. Now, the Minneapolis-based retailer is taking it further with a new kids’ home décor line that blurs the lines between what's for girls and what's for…

Making Wishes Come True
February 3, 2016 at 3:52 pm

Some companies offer a little extra vacation time, others a creative work environment with flexible

Toys"R"Us to Bid Farewell to 13-Year-Old ‘Senior’ Executive
December 22, 2015 at 10:32 am

On Dec. 31, after a successful three-year tenure, Alex Thorne will call it quits at Toys"R"Us. But he won't be cashing in his 401K to buy a condo in Boca; he'll be trying out for a starring role in his school play. That's because Thorne has aged out of the position of "chief play officer" at…

Zappos Goes Door to Door Surprising and Delighting an Entire Town for the Holidays
December 10, 2015 at 10:50 am

One month ago nearly the entire town of Hanover, New Hampshire woke up with something on their doorstep. While not a creature was stirring, a team of 30 Zappos employees descended upon the small town on Nov. 10 to deliver happiness. The gifts came in the form of 1,900 boxes, each containing cold-weather gear including…

Plus-Size Retailer Lane Bryant’s Twitter Q&A Went Downhill Fast
December 10, 2015 at 10:31 am

Lane Bryant considers itself “the most recognized name in plus-size clothing” and says its clothing isn’t just about size, it’s about the fashion and how it fits, according to its website. The fashion retailer has been around for decades. So when Brian Beitler, its chief marketing officer, along with Refinery 29 held a live Twitter…

Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump Spar on Twitter
December 9, 2015 at 11:06 am

Donald Trump's tweetstorms directed at media organizations have become commonplace in the 2016 presidential race. Seemingly out of the blue, The Donald takes to Twitter to bash his chosen media opponent of the day. He sends an eruption of tweets, then goes silent. On Monday, Trump's ire was directed at The Washington Post and, more specifically,…

RadioShack Names Nick Cannon as Chief Creative Officer
December 3, 2015 at 11:24 am

RadioShack's desperation to regain relevancy collided with pop culture Wednesday when it named entertainment mogul Nick Cannon as its chief creative officer. For the electronics chain, which has been trying to remake itself under new ownership after filing for bankruptcy protection early this year, the appointment means an opportunity to distance the brand from its…

Bloomingdale’s Holiday Ad Stirs Outrage
November 11, 2015 at 11:04 am

You probably heard about the Starbucks cups Christmas brouhaha. Bloomingdale’s surely did, but still ended up falling into its own holiday promotion kerfuffle. The chain of high-end department stores put out an ad that attracted attention, for all the wrong reasons. The general mood on Twitter was “What were they thinking?” or “This is disgusting.”