WALMART

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart announced that through its charitable arm, the Walmart Foundation, it is committing $1 million in cash and in-kind donations to support emergency relief efforts following the recent Southern storms, Midwest floods and Texas wildfires.

Growing the health-and-wellness business remains a top priority for Sam’s Club as the warehouse club operator has identified those key categories as areas where it can demonstrate value, drive member loyalty and gain market share.


Sam’s has high expectations for health and wellness, along with food and consumables, as it looks to deliver on its brand promise of “savings made simple” and maintain the same-store sales momentum experienced throughout 2010 that culminated with a 2.7% gain in the fourth quarter.


It has been a challenging few years for Walmart among ongoing sales difficulties, restructuring of senior leadership and the pursuit of a new, yet familiar, strategic direction. Despite all the turmoil and the constant media attention it received, Walmart’s health-and-wellness business unit remained a steady performer through 2010.


Customers are seeing purple again — reminiscent of another switch that took advantage of the eye-catching color purple. Sanofi-Aventis through its Chattem division in March launched Allegra, the last of the second-generation antihistamines. And purple-powered displays, like this in a Walmart in Lancaster, Pa., dotted the retail pharmacy landscape.


WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark has named Helena Foulkes EVP and chief healthcare strategy and marketing officer. In the newly created role, Foulkes will bring together the company’s capabilities in enterprise branding, communications, community relations, charitable giving, healthcare-reform strategy, government relations and marketing into one integrated organization in an effort to deliver even better business results and stronger partnerships.


Action Alley — branded feature displays and four-sided fixtures in the main aisles — marked its return to all Walmart stores this past holiday season, and signified Walmart’s return to promotional intensity.


BRISBANE, Calif. — Walmart announced that it has acquired the services of Kosmix, a Mountain View, Calif.-based company, to grow its multichannel strategy.

CINCINNATI and BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart and Procter & Gamble's Family Movie Night initiative is celebrating one year, and the companies plan to continue their partnership with the addition of five more movies in 2011.

The latest film from the partnership is "Truth Be Told," which will air on April 16 on Fox, followed by "Field of Vision" on June 11 on NBC. Additional movies are scheduled to air on Aug. 6, Sept. 3 and in December on NBC.