{"id":13262,"date":"2024-09-06T18:36:34","date_gmt":"2024-09-06T18:36:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/the-weekly-closeout-under-armour-hires-another-adidas-vet-and-bluemercury-turns-25\/"},"modified":"2024-09-06T18:36:34","modified_gmt":"2024-09-06T18:36:34","slug":"the-weekly-closeout-under-armour-hires-another-adidas-vet-and-bluemercury-turns-25","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/the-weekly-closeout-under-armour-hires-another-adidas-vet-and-bluemercury-turns-25\/","title":{"rendered":"The Weekly Closeout: Under Armour hires (another) Adidas vet and Bluemercury turns 25"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <p><a href=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/online-workshops-list\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-496\" src=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png\" alt=\"Retail Online Training\" width=\"729\" height=\"91\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png 729w, https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90-300x37.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 729px) 100vw, 729px\" \/><\/a><\/p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech\">\n    <button class=\"text-to-speech__button button\"><br \/>\n            <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"text-to-speech__button__icon\" src=\"https:\/\/www.retaildive.com\/static\/images\/audio_icon.svg?482016190122\" alt=\"\"\/><br \/>\n            Listen to the article<br \/>\n            <span class=\"text-to-speech__button__audio-length\">10 min<\/span><br \/>\n    <\/button><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls\">\n        <audio controls=\"\" class=\"js-text-to-speech\" preload=\"none\"><source src=\"http:\/\/res.cloudinary.com\/dmgi9movl\/video\/upload\/q_1\/v1725631725\/news\/text_to_speech\/under-armour-hires-another-adidas-vet-bluemercury-25th-anniversary_oybbco.wav\" type=\"audio\/mp3\"><\/source><\/audio><\/p>\n<div class=\"text-to-speech__controls__text\">\n            This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback.\n        <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>It\u2019s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week and what we\u2019re still thinking about.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>From Bross Pro Shops partnering with the Army &amp; Air Force Exchange to Build-A-Bear Workshop\u2019s National Teddy Bear Day,\u00a0here\u2019s our closeout for the week.<\/p>\n<h3>What you may have missed<\/h3>\n<p><em>Former Puma employee rejoins to lead marketing in North America<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Tara McRae, who was an \u201cintegral part\u201d of Puma\u2019s North America marketing team from 2006 to 2016, rejoined the company last Friday as senior vice president of brand strategy and marketing for North America. She reports to North America President Bob Philion and is a member of the brand\u2019s senior leadership team in the region. McRae most recently spent four years as global chief marketing officer and digital officer of Clarks, where she led marketing strategy, creative direction, e-commerce, digital strategy and brand partnerships, according to a company press release emailed to Retail Dive.<\/p>\n<p>In her new role at Puma, McRae will be responsible for driving profitable growth and improving brand equity, as well as overseeing brand and marketing strategies more broadly across all of Puma\u2019s North America channels.\u00a0In addition to working with the brand strategy team, McRae will also focus on entertainment and basketball marketing, \u201cgiven their importance\u201d and influence in North America. The appointment comes as Puma plots a design and marketing space in Los Angeles to help it win share in the U.S.<\/p>\n<p>A little over a year ago, Puma restructured its marketing organization, moving the department from Boston to the company\u2019s headquarters in Germany. But Puma specified at the time that its North America team would retain responsibility for local sports marketing. Puma\u2019s brand chief also left in that shakeup, and Puma has rebuilt its marketing department since then, naming a new head of global brand strategy in February.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTara will be instrumental in shaping our brand and marketing strategies in North America, delivering on our mission to push sport and culture forward,\u201d Philion said in a statement. \u201cHer proven track record in understanding the consumer and brand elevation will be invaluable for us as we amplify our FOREVER.FASTER. mantra and drive the next chapter of growth for the region.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>Under <span>Armour<\/span> taps another Adidas vet for key role<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Under <span>Armour<\/span> continued to build out its leadership team this week, with the appointment of Franck Denglos as vice president of commercial for its Europe, the Middle East and Africa division. <span>Denglos<\/span>, who spent over 25 years at Adidas, will oversee all sales channels in the region, including wholesale, e-commerce, retail and distributors. His focus will be \u201caccelerating growth and expanding Under Armour\u2019s presence in the region,\u201d according to a company press release.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"inside_story\">\n<div class=\"figure_content\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A person in a blue suit and a white T-shirt poses against a black background.\" data-imagemodel=\"165852\" src=\"https:\/\/www.retaildive.com\/imgproxy\/rcvcdLylsvubGgMIKd2vC8-7cN6u2vmz-20GEQPlX7M\/g:ce\/rs:fit:1600:0\/bG9jYWw6Ly8vZGl2ZWltYWdlL0ZyYW5ja19EZW5nbG9zLmpwZw==.webp\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"inside_story_caption\">\n<p>Franck Denglos spent over 25 years at Adidas.<\/p>\n<p>Courtesy of Under Armour<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span>Denglos<\/span>, who started on Sunday, held a variety of roles at Adidas over the years, the last of which was president of Adidas Italy. He joins just a month after another Adidas veteran, Eric Liedtke, was named executive vice president of brand strategy. <span>Liedtke<\/span> likewise spent over 25 years at Adidas, including several leading brand strategy, and joined Under <span>Armour<\/span> as Chief Consumer Officer Jim Dausch departed. These appointments are two of many over the past year and a half or so, including a new chief product officer, head of the Americas, chief design officer and, of course, the return of Kevin Plank as CEO.<\/p>\n<p><span>Denglos<\/span>\u2019 appointment represents the brand\u2019s \u201ccommitment to bringing in world-class talent that drives our business forward,\u201d according to Kevin Ross, Under Armour\u2019s managing director of EMEA. \u201cWith his proven ability to lead and his sharp understanding of our business landscape, I\u2019m confident he\u2019ll take our commercial success to the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><em>AAFES to offer Bass Pro merch in online store<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The Army &amp; Air Force Exchange Service will offer Bass Pro Shops merchandise to U.S. military-affiliated shoppers tax-free at its online store, ShopMyExchange.com by the end of this year.<\/p>\n<p>In a Tuesday announcement, the Exchange said the collaboration is part of an initiative to add more national brands to its offering. Since 2022, the retailer has added appliances from The Home Depot, Sunglass Hut merchandise, and apparel from Gap and Old Navy to its online store.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe can never adequately thank our nation\u2019s heroes for the sacrifice shown in service to our great country [and] we are all deeply grateful for what they do every day to protect the freedoms we are blessed to enjoy here in the USA,\u201d said Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris. \u201cTo be named the official outdoor gear provider for the Army &amp; Air Force Exchange Service makes this one of the proudest days in the history of our company.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Retail therapy<\/h3>\n<p><em>Barbie gets a job at Krispy Kreme!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>For Barbie\u2019s 65th anniversary this year, Krispy Kreme launched a collection of four doughnuts inspired by the iconic Mattel doll. The assortment features the Barbie Pink Doughnut, Malibu Dream Party Doughnut, Barbie Berries \u2019n Kreme Doughnut and the Barbie Sweet 65th Doughnut to honor the toy\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n<p>Select grocery stores will offer a limited-time Barbie 6-pack box. Guests wearing pink can earn a free Original Glazed doughnut at Krispy Kreme shops on Saturday.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"image-right inside_story\">\n<div class=\"figure_content\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A brand image of the pink Barbie donut box by Krispy Kreme\" data-imagemodel=\"165873\" src=\"https:\/\/www.retaildive.com\/imgproxy\/GfZCteJBuPuAMl1aWawMcJCIsYHf9hUnHNdjf0eXPeQ\/g:ce\/rs:fit:480:270\/bG9jYWw6Ly8vZGl2ZWltYWdlL0tLRF9CYXJiaWVfTWVkaWFfSW1hZ2VfMS5qcGc=.webp\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"inside_story_caption\">\n<p>Guests wearing pink can earn a free Original Glazed doughnut at Krispy Kreme shops on Sept. 7.<\/p>\n<p>Courtesy of Mattel, Krispy Kreme<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The company is also running social media and in-store giveaways for a limited quantity of exclusive Barbie and Krispy Kreme items. Among the prizes are a limited quantity of Barbie Fashionista dolls customized with Krispy Kreme accessories like its signature paper hat, a dozen box and a doughnut. The two will also give out adult-sized Barbie x Krispy Kreme denim jackets to winners.<\/p>\n<p><em>Build-A-Bear celebrates National Teddy Bear Day with $9 bears<\/em><\/p>\n<section class=\"storylines-carousel-wrapper hide-small show-large\" id=\"desktop-carousel\"\/>\n<p>Build-A-Bear Workshop announced its annual $9 special for National Teddy Bear Day\u00a0on Thursday. On Monday, the company will roll prices back to their original 1997 total and its philanthropic arm will donate over 10,000 teddy bears to kids in need.\u00a0The Build-A-Bear Foundation set a 2024 goal to give 100,000 teddy bears away before the year\u2019s end.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"inside_story\">\n<div class=\"figure_content\">\n<div><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A child hugging a teddy bear for Build-A-Bear Workshop&amp;#x27;s National Teddy Bear Day Limited Time $9 Bear Offer\" data-imagemodel=\"165874\" src=\"https:\/\/www.retaildive.com\/imgproxy\/xVw_zkxCsZKaLSseZoPFnsJ8i3TMYJWyifPBId2ZELE\/g:ce\/rs:fit:600:400\/bG9jYWw6Ly8vZGl2ZWltYWdlLzIwMjRfSW5zdG9yZV9MSWZlc3R5bGVfMDYyOS5qcGc=.webp\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"inside_story_caption\">\n<p>This year&#8217;s offer features the Lil&#8217; Cub Brownie Teddy Bear and Lil&#8217; Cub Pudding Teddy Bear for $9.<\/p>\n<p>Courtesy of Build-A-Bear Workshop<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>This year&#8217;s offer features the Lil&#8217; Cub Brownie Teddy Bear and Lil&#8217; Cub Pudding Teddy Bear for $9. The company will also host in-store activities such as a meet-and-greet with the brand\u2019s mascot Bearemy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h3>What we\u2019re still thinking about<\/h3>\n<p><em>12.9%<\/em><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s how much Shoe Carnival\u2019s net sales increased during the second quarter, reaching $332.7 million. The retailer on Thursday also reported operating income grew about 22% year over year to $30.1 million, while net income grew 16.1% to $22.6 million.<\/p>\n<p>Shoe Carnival raised its guidance for the year, expecting net sales to be between $1.23 billion and $1.25 billion (growing 5% to 6% from the prior year), compared to previous guidance of $1.21 billion to $1.25 billion. The company also expects comp sales to be down 1.5% to up 1% year over year,\u00a0compared to down 3% to up 1%.<\/p>\n<p><em>3.6%<\/em><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s how much Kirkland\u2019s Q2 net sales fell, reaching $86.3 million. The home retailer on Thursday reported its overall comparable sales fell 1.7%, which includes 1.8% year-over-year growth in store comps. The retailer also reported that its gross margin expanded 100 basis points to 20.5%.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our second quarter comparable sales results reflect a sequential improvement from the first quarter and continued progress against our strategic initiatives. Our merchandising and marketing plans have continued to drive traffic to our stores resulting in positive comparable sales performance in the channel helping to offset the headwinds we are experiencing with our e-commerce business,\u201d CEO Amy Sullivan said in a statement.<\/p>\n<section class=\"storylines-carousel-wrapper show-small hide-large\" id=\"mobile-carousel\"\/>\n<p>The financial report came as Kirkland\u2019s continues to explore strategic alternatives and work on its cost savings initiatives, which have included reducing corporate overhead, store payroll, marketing and third-party expenses.<\/p>\n<h3>What we\u2019re watching<\/h3>\n<p><em>Bluemercury is on a blue streak <\/em><\/p>\n<p>As part of the company\u2019s 25th anniversary, Bluemercury on Wednesday announced a rebranded online experience. The company also announced the launch of Victoria Beckham Beauty and Anastasia Beverly Hills as partners, according to a company press release.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Bluemercury\u2019s brand evolution, dubbed The New Blue, includes a revamped website with an \u201celevated\u201d aesthetic, a new monogram \u201cB\u201d design, a blog and easy online navigation. The company is also overhauling its in-store retail design, which can currently be found in eight locations with \u201cmany more planned in the future.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Bluemercury, which is part of Macy\u2019s, recently achieved its 14th consecutive quarter of comp store sales growth.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><p><a href=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/online-workshops-list\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-496\" src=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png\" alt=\"Retail Online Training\" width=\"729\" height=\"91\" srcset=\"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90.png 729w, https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/RETAIL-ONLINE-TRAINING-728-X-90-300x37.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 729px) 100vw, 729px\" \/><\/a><\/p><br \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen to the article 10 min This audio is auto-generated. Please let us know if you have feedback. It\u2019s been another week with far more [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13263,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13262","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13262\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dmsretail.com\/RetailNews\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}