Stocking Stuff

My nine-year-old daughter hasn't asked any questions about the existence of Santa Claus this year. That makes me certain she already knows the answer, and is skirting the issue so as not to jeopardize the volume of presents that she'll find under the tree.I, however, still unquestionably believe, and this year have asked Santa for a variety of gifts -- although, these days, Santa looks a lot more like Steve Jobs in a fake beard than Haddon Sundblom's Coke-commissioned icon. My list includes:more promotional offers that are obviously targeted at me. A few years back, CVS/pharmacy marketing honcho Rob Price told an industry audience that members of the chain's ExtraCare loyalty program might not always recognize the relevance of the offers they receive. Since then, I've relied solely on his word, since the coupons I typically get never really scream "me." That changed last week, however, when I dropped by CVS to buy some new reading glasses (after conceding that I can no longer read sweepstakes rules). I scanned my card at the ExtraCare Coupon Center and -- wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles -- got an offer for $4 off reading glasses. Never before have I felt so personally "loved" by a retailer.a "Black Friday Surrogate" app for Walmart. Wouldn't it be OK if I just "virtually" waited in line for five hours overnight to get that astonishingly low-priced piece of electronics? I'll gladly sacrifice the enlightening sociology lessons gained by being there in person.an "App Rewards Aggregator" app. I've only downloaded about 20 of the numerous shopping-related apps available through iTunes, but I'm already overwhelmed. Exactly how do I know which location-based app will benefit me more at each location? Should I be opening Best Buy's own app, or see what offer the chain is running through Shopkick? Is it even worth opening Foursquare or Loopt right now? I could really use some cross-app help.an iPhone 4, I guess, since the 3G I got in April apparently is too obsolete to adequately run many of the coolest new shopping apps. (This is why I've always waited for technology to go mainstream before adopting.)a few open-minded retailers. If there's one fact we've learned the hard way, it's that retailers really don't like disclosing any innovative marketing and merchandising (or much else, for that matter). But it's hard to present a meaningful case study on mutually beneficial collaboration when one of the partners can only be identified as "a major retail chain." Just as Scrooge learned that sharing his good fortune vastly improved his own quality of life, retailers might learn that educating the industry could end up providing even greater returns.Springsteen's new boxed set. After all, the whole world isn't about shopper marketing.We here at the Institute would like to wish everyone a continued healthy and happy holiday season and a very prosperous new year.Peter BreenManaging Director, ContentIn-Store Marketing Institute

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