Weekly Recap: Under Armour Hires (Another) Adidas Veteran, Bluemercury Turns 25

It was another week with way more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we discuss some of the things you may have missed during the week that we’re still mulling over.

From Bross Pro Shops’ partnership with the Army & Air Force Exchange to National Teddy Bear Day at Build-A-Bear, here’s our sale this week.

What could you have missed?

Former Puma Employee Returns to Head North American Marketing

Tara McRae, who was an “integral part” of Puma’s North American 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’s leadership team in the region. McRae most recently spent four years as global chief marketing officer and chief digital officer at 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.

In her new role at Puma, McRae will be responsible for driving profitable growth and improving brand equity, as well as overseeing broader brand strategy and marketing across all of Puma’s channels in North America. In addition to working with the brand strategy team, McRae will also focus on entertainment and basketball marketing, “given their importance” and influence in North America. The appointment comes as Puma plans a design and marketing space in Los Angeles to help it gain share in the U.S.

A little over a year ago, Puma restructured its marketing organization, moving the division from Boston to the company’s headquarters in Germany. However, Puma said at the time that its North American team would retain responsibility for local sports marketing. Puma’s brand chief also left in that transition, and Puma has since rebuilt its marketing department, appointing a new head of global brand strategy in February.

“Tara will play a key role in shaping our brand and marketing strategies in North America, delivering on our mission to move sports and culture forward,” Philion said in a statement. “Her proven track record of understanding the consumer and elevating the brand will be invaluable to us as we amplify our FOREVER.FASTER mantra and drive the next chapter of growth for the region.”

Under Armor appoints another Adidas veteran to a key role

Under Armor continued to expand its leadership team this week with the appointment of Franck Denglos as vice president of commercial for Europe, Middle East and Africa. Dengloswho spent more than 25 years at Adidas, will oversee all sales channels in the region, including wholesale, e-commerce, retail and distributors. His goal will be to “accelerate growth and expand Under Armour’s presence in the region,” according to a company press release.

Dengloswho started on Sunday, has held various roles at Adidas over the years, most recently as president of Adidas Italy. He joins just a month after another Adidas veteran, Eric Liedtke, was named executive vice president of brand strategy. Liedtke he also spent over 25 years at Adidas, where he led several leading brand strategies, and joined Under Armor as Chief Consumer Officer Jim Dausch departs. These appointments are two of many over the past year and a half, including a new Chief Product Officer, head of Americas, Chief Design Officer and, of course, the return of Kevin Plank as CEO.

Denglos“The appointment reflects the brand’s “commitment to acquiring world-class talent to drive our business forward,” according to Kevin Ross, Managing Director, EMEA, Under Armour. “With his proven leadership skills and excellent understanding of our business landscape, I am confident he will take our commercial success to the next level.”

AAFES will offer Bass Pro products in its online store

The Army & Air Force Exchange Service will offer U.S. military-affiliated customers Bass Pro Shops products tax-free through its online store, ShopMyExchange.com, through the end of this year.

In an announcement Tuesday, Exchange said the collaboration is part of an initiative to add more national brands to its offerings. Starting in 2022, the retailer has added appliances from The Home Depot, products from Sunglass Hut and apparel from Gap and Old Navy to its online store.

“We will never be able to adequately thank our nation’s heroes for the sacrifices they have made 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 U.S.,” said Bass Pro founder Johnny Morris. “Being the official outdoor equipment supplier to the Army & Air Force Exchange Service makes this one of the proudest days in our company’s history.”

Retail Therapy

Barbie gets a job at Krispy Kreme!

To celebrate Barbie’s 65th anniversary this year, Krispy Kreme has released a collection of four donuts inspired by Mattel’s iconic doll. The assortment includes the Barbie Pink Donut, Malibu Dream Party Donut, Barbie Berries ‘n Kreme Donut and Barbie Sweet 65th Donut to honor the toy’s legacy.

Select grocery stores will have a limited-time 6-pack of Barbies. Guests wearing pink can score a free Original Glazed doughnut at Krispy Kreme stores on Saturday.

The company is also running giveaways on social media and in stores where a limited number of exclusive Barbie and Krispy Kreme products are available for purchase. Prizes include a limited number of Barbie Fashionista dolls, personalized with Krispy Kreme accessories, such as a signature paper hat, a dozen boxes and a doughnut. The companies will also give away adult-sized Barbie x Krispy Kreme denim jackets to winners.

Build-A-Bear Celebrates National Teddy Bear Day with $9 Teddy Bears

Build-A-Bear Workshop announced its annual $9 special on Thursday in honor of National Teddy Bear Day. On Monday, the company will drop prices to their original 1997 price, and its philanthropic arm will donate more than 10,000 bears to children in need. The Build-A-Bear Foundation has set a 2024 goal of giving away 100,000 bears by the end of the year.

This year’s offering includes a Lil’ Cub Brownie Teddy Bear and a Lil’ Cub Pudding Teddy Bear for $9. The company will also be hosting a variety of in-store activities, including a meet-and-greet with the brand’s Bearemy mascot.

What are we still thinking about?

12.9%

Shoe Carnival’s net sales rose by that much in the second quarter, to $332.7 million. The retailer on Thursday also reported that operating income rose about 22% year over year to $30.1 million, while net income rose 16.1% to $22.6 million.

Shoe Carnival raised its outlook for the year, expecting net sales of $1.23 billion to $1.25 billion, up 5% to 6% from a year earlier, down from its previous forecast of $1.21 billion to $1.25 billion. The company also expects comparable sales to decline 1.5% to 1% year over year, down from a decline of 3% to 1%.

3.6%

Kirkland’s net sales fell by that much in the second quarter, to $86.3 million. The retailer on Thursday said its overall comparable sales fell 1.7%, which includes a 1.8% year-over-year increase in store comparisons. The retailer also said its gross margin rose 100 basis points to 20.5%.

“Our second quarter comparable sales results reflect sequential improvement compared to the first quarter and continued progress on our strategic initiatives. Our merchandising and marketing plans continue to drive traffic to our stores, resulting in positive comparable sales results in this channel, which helps offset the headwinds we are experiencing in our e-commerce business,” Chief Executive Officer Amy Sullivan said in a statement.

The financial release comes as Kirkland’s continues to explore alternative strategies and implement cost-cutting initiatives, including reducing corporate overhead, store wages, marketing and external services expenses.

What are we watching?

Bluemercury is on a downward trend

As part of the company’s 25th anniversary, Bluemercury on Wednesday announced a rebranding of its online experience. The company also announced the launch of Victoria Beckham Beauty and Anastasia Beverly Hills as partners, according to a company press release.

The evolution of the Bluemercury brand, dubbed The New Blue, includes a revamped website with an “elevated” aesthetic, a new “B” monogram design, a blog and easy online navigation. The company is also overhauling its retail store, which can now be found in eight locations, with “many more planned in the future.”

Bluemercury, a Macy’s company, recently reported its fourteenth consecutive quarter of comparable-store sales growth.