martha at walmart

photo: walmart

Martha Stewart now has cute wedding goodies at Walmart! Some of these items seem nearly identical to the Martha Stewart wedding diy products sold at Michael's and I am curious as to how this all works. I would have guessed that Michael's had some sort of exclusive agreement ... not to mention Martha's long standing relationship with K-Mart? I think it's fabulous that good design is now available at all these places ... but I'm really curious about how MSLO is able to pull it all off without stepping on the toes of their partners.

It makes sense to me that Martha is able to sell sheets at both K-Mart and Macy's ... they are different price points (and quality). But it seems odd to me that Martha sells the same product category in the same price point to two big box chains that compete against each other (i.e. diy paper favor boxes and crepe paper flowers at Walmart and Michael's). How do they pull this off? My little stores complain when someone else in their entire city carries my line of stationery, so how does Martha pull this off? Tips, please, Martha!!!

Also... check out the new Walmart logo. Great post about it here on the Brand New blog.

big brand marketing

photo: screenshot of a Hollister movie

I've noticed a fantastic trend on "big brand" websites: inspiration galleries, sneak peeks, and club rooms. These sections of a website (like Kate Spade's "behind the curtain") go behind the scenes, inside studios, and into sketchbooks to show customers what inspires the brand. Some sites, like Hollister and Kate Spade, have sound tracks, so you can listen to music that further deepens your brand experience. I also like the Dwell Studio website, where the visitor gets a peek onto the work tables in the studio. And the Jonathan Adler Manifesto cracks me up. Here are a few of their beliefs:

"We believe that when it comes to decorating, the wife is always right.
Unless the husband is gay.

We believe celebrities should pay full price.

We believe colors can't clash."

Our delphine site has a little inspiration section with photos from our travels (and our backyard). Eventually I'd like to add a little sneak peek into the studio, and maybe add some tunes, too. Any other suggestions?